the stockes sayeth he And why is that He sayeth that God sheweth nothing but signes of wrath against him And forasmuch as sentences are oftentymes giuen by writing Iob hauing an eye to the common phrase of his country sayeth that God writeth bitternesse against him that is to say that he chargeth him with the greeuousest crymes that could be deuised Like as a iudge that abhorreth a wretched offēder which is before him inhaunceth his offences and goeth about to shew that they be so outrageouse as they cānot be punished too rigorously According heerevnto Iob complayneth that God writeth so ouerrigorous a sentence against him as it is ynough too make a mans heare stand vp stiffe vpon his head And he addeth further that he reneweth the remembrance of the sinnes of his youth of purpose to make him possesse them And what doeth this Making of him to possesse them import It is as much to say as I cold not be stripped out of my clothes but I must also bee as it were bound Like as when a man is in hys house for when he is abrode in the feeldes hee is after a sort stripped out of his possessions euen so doest thou Lord make me to keepe possession of my sinnes That is to say I cannot be rid of this cursed and vnhappie possession of my sinnes I am so wrapped in them as I cannot get out of them Heere Iob acknowledgeth that God hath iust cause to scourge hym but yet for all that he ceasseth not to be out of pacience and to chafe And therefore so much the more ought wee to stande vpon our gard seeing that hee which was the singular mirroure of pacience was neuerthelesse prouoked too such temptations But now let vs come to knowe why he speaketh of the sinnes of his youth There are two reasons The one is bycause that in that age the lustes are seene to be whotest And for that cause also it is sayd in the Psalme How shall a yong man order his wayes euen by keeping thy word VVhy is there more speaking of yong folke rather than of others It is bycause that mannes nature which is alwayes sinfull and wicked doeth then cast vp his greatest froath and hath then most boyling affections and therefore hath neede of strongest bridle Forsomuch then as men committe most faultes in their youth Iob speaketh precisely there of And here ye see also why Dauid saith Lord remember not the faults of my youth He speaketh expresly of that age bycause hee knewe hee passed it not without offending God many wayes For there is greate vnaduisednesse and vnruly lust wherewith a yong man is blinded insomuch that he thinketh that nothing is vnpossible to him there is no stayednesse to rule hym withall but there is excesse of ouerweening and such other like things And so ye see one reason why the sinnes of youth are spoken of heere The second reason is that Iob ment to declare that God brought all his sinnes too rememberance as if he should frame an inditement of all the faultes that he had done euer since he was a child And in so doing he complayneth of ouergreat rigoure as if he should saye Lorde though I haue erewhyles doone amisse well thou hast bene so gracious to me as too bryng mee backe and to reforme me to thy seruice wherefore then doost thou gather a beadroll of my faultes whyche ought to haue bene forgotten VVherefore commest thou to lay them before me agayne Seeing thou hast pardoned me them is it meete that I should be intangled in them new agayne Yee see then whereat Iob amed And heereby we be taught that when God writeth bitterly against vs that is to say when he sheweth vs all the signes of rigour and that we be lothsome in his sight wee must not thinke wee haue gayned aught by finding fault wyth him For wee haue well deserued much more and that is the poynt that we must alwayes come backe vntoo Furthermore of whome is it long that God writeth bitterly against vs and that hee vseth not his accustomed sweetenesse which he is wont to vse towards those that are hys Of whome is it long say I that he sheweth not hymselfe so sweete but of our selues For Gods pressing of vs with his iudgemente is bycause hee seeth well that wee haue neede of such and so vehement a remedie And for proofe therof it is no easie matter to meeken a man that is so giuen to pride God then writeth bitterly against vs to the end wee should bee vtterly abashed and yet in the meane while he ceasseth not to receyue vs to mercie True it is that he will hyde himselfe for a time as hee hid hymselfe from Iob according as he will say heereafter Wherefore hydest thou thy face from me But let vs marke that after God hath hid his face away so for a season he will shewe hymselfe graciouse and pitifull towardes vs yea verely when he perceyueth it to be meete for vs It is true that he maketh delay and letteth vs linger in payne but he wil helpe vs in conuenient season Then let vs marke that whensoeuer God wryteth bitterly against vs it is to assuage the miserie within a while after according as it is his office to put vs into the graue and too pull vs out againe They that abide in condemnation haue no will to come to Gods mercie and to the redemption whyche he hath purchaced for vs and that is the cause why they be shet out In the meane time we haue whereof to thanke God hartily for somuch as wee see that beeyng woorthy too bee condemned at hys hande wee are neuerthelesse acquit See howe God allureth vs dayly VVhen wee come too a Sermon there he sheweth vs what we be and what oure sinnes and vices are there hee condemneth vs and dayly pronounceth many sentences against vs insomuch that we cannot open the holy scripture but we shall find some condemnation there in euery leafe On the other side we cannot so couer our vices but God will shewe vs them beholde thou hast doone suche a saulte beholde thou haste committed such a sinne See I pray you how our Lord dealeth But hath he once made vs ashamed of our sinnes By and by after hee sheweth vs that he will bee mercifull to vs for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Thus yee see what ought to make vs to magnifie hys goodnesse Furthermore although hee bryng oure olde sinnes too remembraunce agayne lette vs assure our selues hee doeth vs no wrong therein nother haue wee any cause too replye agaynst hym but wee haue so muche the more cause too blisse hym in that wee see that when hee hath once forgyuen oure olde sinnes he receyueth vs still to mercie for euer after In what state doeth God finde vs when we come out of our moothers womb It is true that the naughtinesse which is in vs is not yet perceyued but yet haue we the seede thereof inclosed in vs so as we
the yeare with thy goodnesse and thy steppes drop fatnesse 766. a 2. 66. 3. O God how maruellous are thy workes 766. a 12. 10. O God thou hast proued vs thou hast tried vs as siluer is tried 69. a 37. 12. Thou hast caused men to ride ouer our heads we went into fire into water but thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place 69. a 73 110. a 58. 320. b 5â— 68. 21. God is our God to saue vs to the euerlasting Lorde belongeth the issues of death 74. a 28. 109. b 13. 69. 2. 3. 4. The waters are entred euen to my soule I sticke fast in the deepe myre I am wearie of crying my throte is drie mine eies fail whilest I waite for my God. 564. b 15. 5. They that hate mee without a cause are mo in nuÌ„ber than the haires of my head they that would destroy me and are my enemies falsely are mightie so that I am constreined too restore that which I toke not 75. a 36. 10. The zeale of thine house hath eaten mee the rebukes of them that defamed thee are falne vpon me 45. b 16. 71. 20 God hath taken me vppe from the depthe of the earth 320. b. 48. 2. As for mee my feete were almost gone and my steps had welny slipt 44. b 12. 4. There are no bands in the deth of the children of God. 344. b 48. 6. Pryde compasseth the wicked as a chayne and crueltie couereth them as a garment 309. b 10. 7. Their eyes stande out for fatnesse they haue more than heart can thinke 88. b 7. 310. b 6. 723. b 14. 9. The wicked set their mouthes against heauen and their tong trotteth through the earth 795. b 39. 13. It is in vayne that I haue washed my handes in purenesse and kept my hart pure 668. b 33. 700. a 54. 17. It is too troublesome a thing to consider the ende of the wicked 313 b 59. 77. 11. I sayd it is my death then I remembred the yeares of the right hand of the Lord. 284. a 14. 20. Thy way hath ben in the sea and thy pathes in the great waters 30. The meate was yet in their throte 392. a 8. 32. The reprobate sinned still when the wrath of God came vpon them 392. a 9. 39. God remembreth that we are flesh and as a wind that passeth and returneth not again 140. a â—8 566. a â—3 71. From thence where Dauid followed the Ewes with yong God brought him to feede his people laacob and Israell his heritage 30. a 61. 7â— 5. Howe long Lord wilt thou be angrie for euer shall thy Iealousie burne like fire 138. b 36. 80. 4. O God cause thy face too shine and we shall be saued 796. b 15 8. Lorde cause thy face too shine vpon vs and wee shall bee deliuered 796. b 16. 81. 3. God letteth the wicked goe aecording too the presumption of their harts and walke in their counsels 257. a 47. 82. 1. God standeth in the assemblie of gods and iudgeth among the Gods. 17. a 29. 6. You are Gods and ye are al the children of the most high 61. b 10. 88. 4. Blowe the trumpet in the newe moone in the solemnitie and on the day of our feast 114. b 12. 89. 33. God wil visit the sinnes of his with a rod. 361. a 14. 90. 3. God turneth man too destruction againe thou sayest returne ye sonnes of men 277. a 7. 504. b 56. 4. A thousand yeares in thy fight are as yesterday 157. b 53. 11. VVho knoweth the power of thy wrath for according to thy fear is thine anger 643. a 27. 12. Teach vs rightly to nuÌ„ber our dayes that we may apply our hartes vnto wisdome 83. a 4. 20. O Lord cause thy face to shine and we shall be saued 796. b 15. 91 4. The faithfull are sure vnder the wings of the Lord. 395. a 10. 11. Hee shall giue his Angelles charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes 16. a 51. 12. The Angelles shall beare thee in their handes that thou hurte nor thy foote againste a stone 108. b 47. 277. a 7. 359. b 44. 15. Hee shall call vpon me and I will heare him 413. b 29. 92. 8. O Lord howe glorious are thy workes and thy thoughtes are verie deepe 766. a 14. 13. The rightuous shall florishe like a palme tree 350. a 18. 94. 7. The wicked say the Lorde shal not see neyther will the God of Iacob regard it 678. b 56. 11. The Lorde knoweth that the thoughts of men are euill 695. b 25. 19. VVhen I had many thoughts in my selfe thy comforts haue reioyced my soule 303. b 6. 95. 1. Come let vs reioyce vnto the Lord let vs sing aloud vnto the rock of our saluation 155. b 34. 6. Come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord. 155. b 35. 7. The Lord is our God and we are the people of his pasture 285. b. 60. 8. Harden not your hearts as in Meribah and as in the day of Massah in the wildernesse 50. b 48. 97. 5. The mountaines melted like wax at the presence of the Lord. 173. b 58. 100. 3. God hath made vs and not we 746. a 12. 102. 17. God shall build vp Sion 388. b 38. 27. 28. 29. The earth and the heauens shall perish â–ª but thou shalt endure all shall waxe olde as dooth a garment as a vesture shalte thou change them and they shal be changed But thou art for euer thy yeears shall neuer haue end The children of thy seruantes shall continue and their seede shal be established before thee 84 â–ª b 17. 103. 4. The Lorde redeemeth the life from the graue and crouneth vs with mercie and compassion 74. a 6. 14. God knoweth that we be but dust â–ª 140. a. 28. 20. Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that doe his commaundement in obeying the voice of his word 17. a 5. 104. 1. 3. God is clothed with glorie and honor which layeth the beames of his chambers in the waters and maketh the thicke cloudes his chariot walketh vpon the wings of the winde 735. a 55 795. a 53. 4. God maketh the windes his messaÌ„gers and a flaming fire his ministers 29. b 40. 12 VVhen the sunne riseth they retire and couch in their dennes 776 a 17. 13. Then goeth man forth to his worke and too his labour vatill the euening 344. a 58. 14. God causeth grasse to growe for the cattell and herbe for the vse of maÌ„ that he may bring forth bread out of the earth 344. a 14. 15. God causeth wine too growe which reioyceth the heart of man 509. b 57. 19. God made the Moone for certaine seasons the Sunne knoweth his going downe 344. a 38. 20. God hath made the darknes 344. a 38. 24. O Lord howe manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them al the earth is full of thy riches 95. b 4. 26. The ships runne in the Sea
39. GOD killeth and maketh a liue woundeth and maketh whole and there is none that can deliuer out of his hand 323. b 8. Iosua 10. 12 THe sunne did stay and the moon til the people were reuenged on their enemies 775. b 48 24. 2. Terah and Nachor the graundefathers of Elium did serue straunge gods 612. a 38. 624. b 13. 1. Samuell 2. 6. THe Lorde is he that kylleth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and rayseth vp 474. a 6. 12. The sonnes of Elivvere vvicked men and knew not the Lorde 153. a 18. 25. The sonnes of Eli obeyed not the voice of their father 10. b 35. 8. 18. The vnbeleeuing shall cry shall not be heard 562. b 60 10. 10. 11. The spirit of God came into the Prophets and prophesied among them 624. b 20. 13. 14. God hath founde Dauid a man after his owne hart 371. a 31. 15. 22. Obedience is better then sacrifice 458. b 30. 16. 11. Samuell saide vnto Ishai are these all the children And hee sayde there remaineth yet a litle one behinde that keepeth the sheep and Samuell said we will not sit dovvne till he be come hither 554. b 49. 17. 34. The seruant of Saule was keeper of his fathers sheep 154. b 49 2. Samuell 7. 14. IF Salomon sinne I will chasten him with the rodde of men and with the plagues of the children of men 107. a 3. 12. 12. I will giue thy wiues to thy neyghbor and he shall lye wyth them For thou didst it secretly but I will doo this thing before all Israell 37. b 19. 12. Thou hast done it in secrete Dauid but I the Lorde will doe this thing in the presence of all Israell and in the presence of the sunne 37. b 19. 15. 26. Let God doe wyth me as seemeth good in his eyes 724. b 3. 16. 5. Simei went forth and cursed Dauid 554. b 30. 7. Simei cursed Dauid saying come forth come forth thou murtherer and wicked man. 554. b 33. 10. VVhat know we if God haue commanded him to sall thus vpon mee 353. b 40. 11. Dauid sayd to Abisai and to all his seruantes beholde my sonne which came out of mine own bowels seeketh my soule how muche more now the son of Gemini suffer him to curse for the Lorde hath bidden him 724. b 3. 22. Absolon went into his fathers concubines in the fight of all Israell 580. a 32. 17. 14. The Lorde had determined to destroie the good councell of Achitophell that the Lorde might bring cuill vpon Absolon 22. 42. The wicked shall crie and none shal saue them 562. b 60. 1. Kinegs 8. 10. 11. 12. VVHen the priestes were come out of the sanctuarie the cloud filled the house of the lord So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloude Then spake Solomon the Lord saide that he would dvvell in the cloude 753. b 49. 27. The heauens are not able to containe God. 935. b 40. 21. 10. Thou hast blasphemed god and the king Naboth 14. b 54. 13. Naboth hath blasphemed god and the king 14. b 54. 22. 19. I saw the Lord sit on his throne and all the hoste of heauen stode about him on his right hande on his left hand 23. b 4. 20 The Lord sayd who shal persvvade A hab that he may goe fall at Ramoth Gilead 23. b 42. 2. Kinges 19. 35. THe angel of the lord went out and smote in the camp of Ashur an hundreth fourescore and fiue thousand 16. a 51. 20. 13. Hezekiah heard the Ambassadours of the king â–ª of Babylon and shewed them all his treasure-house to wit the siluer and the gold and the spices and the precious oint meÌ„ts al the house of his armour and all that was founde in his treasures there was nothinge in his house and in all his realme that hee shewed them not 30. a 44. 1. Cronicles 21. 1. SAtan stoode vp agaynst Israell prouoked Dauid to number the people 24. b 58. 2. Cronicles 32. 31. BEcause of the Ambassadours of the Princes of Babel â–ª which were sent vnto Ezechias to enquire of the woÌ„der that was done in the land God left him to try him and to know all that was in his hart 30. a 44. Iob. 1. 8. THe Lorde sayde vnto Satan hastthou not considered my seruauÌ„t Iob how none is like him in the earth an vpright maÌ„ and iust searing God and eschuing euill 700. b 24. 21. 4. God hath giuen God hath taken God be blissed 362. a 45. 454. b 4. 533. a 48. 672. a 7. 5. 13. God taketh the wise in their craftinesse 522. a 3. 695. b 28. 6. 4. Iob sayd the arrows of God are in me 361. b 23. 7. 15. Therefore my soule choseth rather to be strangled and to dye thaÌ„ to be in my bones 154 a 1. 20. Now shal I sleepe in the dust and if thou seekest me in the morning I shall not be found 141. a 21. 9. 3. If man wold dispute against god he could not answere one thing of a thousand 155. b 48. 13. 15 Though he sley me yet wil I trust in him 162. b 34. 24. VVherefore hydest thou thy face 648. a 2. 14. 2. Man shooteth foorth as a flower is cut downe he vanisheth as a shadow 441. b 24. 15. 16. Howe much more is man abominable and filthy which drinketh iniquitie like water 189. a 42. 15 Behold God found no stedfastnesse in his Saincts yea the heauens are not cleare in his sight 189. a 42. 29. 13. I comforted the widowes hart 187. a 38. 31. 18. From my mothers womb I haue guided the widow 725. a 23. Psalmes 1. 1. BLissed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the wicked 380. b 46. 2. I â—issed is the man which meditateth continually in the Law of God. 576. a 21. 3. The man that meditateth day and night in the Law of God shall be like a tree planted by the ryuers of waters which bringeth forth c. 158. b 8. 315. a 1. 350. a 18. 2. 1. VVhy do the heathen rage and the people murmure in vayne VVhy do the Kings and Princes coÌ„sult a gainst God the Lord willaugh and mocke them 701. a 24. 4. He that dwelleth in the heauens will laugh the Lord will mock them 427. b 19. 436. a 5. 3. 4. I did crie vnto the Lord and he hath answered me 696. a 53. 6. I layd me downe and slept rose againe for the Lord sustayned me 561. a 13. 8 Aryse Lorde my God saue me thou hast stricken myne enemies vpon the checke bone thou hast brokeÌ„ the teeth of the wicked 656. b 4. 4. 4. The Lorde will heare me when I call vpon him 357. a 61. 7. 8. Many say who will shevv vs any good but Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs Thou hast giuen me more ioy of hart then they haue had when their wheat their wine did abound 651. a 14.
trueth now adayes 713. b 21. Comfort and Comforting The true and vpright Comforting 69. b 52. 70. a 23. Tvvo things requisit in Comforting that is too say Compassion and Comfort 49. a 7. The chiefest Comfort and relief that can be giuen to the Afflicted 50. b 2. None can CoÌ„fort Counsell or teach others wel but such as first are acquainted vvith their ovvne infirmities 630. b 7. The Crosse of Christ and his resurrection are our Comforts 819. b 8. They that will Comfort the afflicted and sorrowfull must bee pitifull them selues and not churlishe or vnkinde 332. b 56. How we ought to Comfort our selues out of the Scriptures vvhen we be afflicted 333. a 32. Hovve necessarie Gods Comforts are 297. a 8. The true meane of Comforting and gladding others or ourselues 6â—0 a 32 651. a b. All men are not to be Comforted after one fashion 318. a 7. Commaundements The CoÌ„maundements of God are in separable and do al of them make but one rightuousnesse 685. b 23. 686. a 46. Looke more in Counsel and in Lawe and in Gods word Compassion Hovve farre Compassion extendeth 124. a 44. VVee ought to haue Compassion of the afflicted 124. a 27. He that hath no Compassion of the afflicted hath no feare of god 124 b 2. If vve will haue God mercifull to vs we must haue Compassion of our neighbours 328. b 9. Looke more in Almes Mercie and pitie Of Condemnation and Condemning Two sortes of healthfull Condemnation 814. b 10. VVee should rather Condemne our selues than other men 87. b 58. The diuers sortes of Condemnation vvhich God pronounceth vpon men 814. b 6. VVe must learne to Condemne our selues 573. a 5. God should find alvvays in vs wherfore too Condemne vs if hee bare not with vs of his infinite goodnesse 565. b 3. Confession Confessing The Confession vvhich the scripture requireth of vs in respect of men 602. a 23. The true manner of Confessing our faultes 602. a 20. 603. a b 809. a 1. He that doth coÌ„trarie to that which Confesseth is double condemnable 552. a 14. The two causes why God will haue vs to confesse our owne giltinesse and too acknovvledge his goodnesse before men 656. a 40. The former Confessions of other meÌ„ in olde time doe serue for our instruction and comfort 656. b 3. Conscience A good Conscience holdeth vs alwayes in stedfastnesse 131. a 47. A Conscience pressed vvith Gods iudgement is alvvayes troubled in an agonie 139. a 13. Constancie Constancie is persisting in goodnesse and in eschuing of euill 20. b 1. 10 Constancie commended 41. a 13. Consuming God can Consume vs without any inferior meanes 728. b 15. Gods working in Consuming nations without any apparant plague in the place where they dvvell 728 a 31. Of Contempt If any man be brought to ConteÌ„pt let vs consider that as much might befall to vs. 557. a 49. Of Corruption The Corruption of mans nature is the cause of Gods rigor 105. b 44. Our Corruptions are a bottomelesse pit 79. a 40. VVhence our Corruption commeth 300. b 10. Of the Corruption of mans nature by originall sinne 274. a 10. Of Couetousnesse Couetousnesse in all men generally 33. b 16. Couetousnesse is Idolatrie 591. a 40 Counsell VVhen God bereeueth men of their wit and discretion they can neuer receiue any good Counsell 312. a 46. The Papisticaâ—â— difference betweene a Counsell and commaundement 597. a 19. The daunger oâ—dispising or neglecting of good Counsell or admonition 15. a 21. Countenance Looke Face Craftinesse Of Craftinesse against God and his vvord 294. a 1. Of Creation Creatures The right consideration of our Creation serueth to abate the pride of all states and degrees 302. a 44. If a man knevve the end of his Creation hee would alwayes be desirous to profit in knovvledge 551. a 5. VVee could not rule the least liuing Creature on earth if God giue vs not povver ouer it 782. a 12. Gods goodnesse in submitting and imploying his Creatures too our vse and seruice 745. a 1. God sheweth hmiselfe so manifestly in his Creatures as hee leaueth vs vtterly without excuse of ignoraÌ„ce if we honor him not 235. a 16. b. The increase and multiplying of all liuing Creatures come of Gods only prouidence 778. a 1. All Gods Creatures are mirrors and Images of his povver wisedome rightuousnesse and prouidence 786. a 44. 787. a b. 801. a b 802. a b. 803 a b. 804. a b. 805. a b. Al Gods Creatures as wel sencelesse as hauing sence doe teach vs our obedience and subiection vntoo God. 745. b 53. 746. b 50. 778. a 48. 779. a b. 780. a b. 781. a b. 782. a b. 783. a b. 784. a b. 785. a b. 786. a b. 802. a 55. 803 a b. 804. a b. Al the Creatures of God owe seruice too his children by right of their inheritance 766. b 19 Cunningnesse Cunningnesse to ouerthrovv a good matter is a hatefull vice before God. 132. b 59. Of Curiositie The vayne Curiositie of men in searching Gods secrets 60. b 42. 772. a 59. God will not feede our fond Curiositie 525. b 1. Of Cursing VVhat it is too Curse God. 15. b. 30. 42. 53. 35. a 37. How horrible a thing it is too curse God. 15. b. 30. The Curse of God is alvvayes vpon the vvicked in what prosperitie so euer they be 514. b 44. How men Curse God to his face 22. a 58. VVee may Curse the vvicked and what is ment by Cursing 88. b 10. 89. a 26. D. Of Dalying It is not for vs too Dally with God. 310. a 9. To Dally vvith Gods vvord and raise vnprofitable questions and vaine disputations in the handling ther of is highe treason against God. 291. b 35. Damnation Our Damnation shall be the greater if we amend not at Gods warning and chastizementes 721. a 49. 722. b 13. Darknesse The kingdome of Darkenesse 196. a 23. Dauid Dauids numbring of the people 24. b 58. Dauid was a frayle man. 28. a 57. Dauid ouershootes himself through prosperitie 30. a 54. Dauids aduoutrie punished 37. b. 15. Dauid a paterne of patience to al meÌ„ of honor 554. b 22. Dauncing Dauncing is a cursed mirth 408. a 7 Day Our Day is sufficieÌ„t too make vs inexcusable 156. b 9. VVhich are called the Dayes of the Lord. 466. b 51. Deceiptes Deceiptes are worse than open violence 574. b 51. Defence How needfull Gods defence is for vs 22. b 24. 30. b 55. VVe neede not be afrayd so long as we be vnder the Defence and tuition of God. 805. a 7. How needfull it is for vs to be Defended of God. 30. b 58. Hovve farre we may Defend our selselues 98. a 3. Gods Defending and protecting of vs is a corzie to Sathan and al the wicked 19. b 32. Gods Defence and protection doe imbolden incourage strengthen vphold and vvarrant the godly against all temptations perils and assaults 19. b 35. God vvill Defend vs no lesse than he did the
of the things whiche the theeues dyd and that the Dyuell was a doer of them too Nowe then wee see heere howe God is euermore soueraine in degree in guiding and disposing the things that are here belowe to leade them to suche ende as hee thinketh good And heere is no matter for vs too iudge of after our owne vnderstanding as some ouerweening persons doe who will needes be wyse in making God and all his whole worlde subiect to their owne fansie These are beastes yea and as beetleheaded beastes as any can bee They haue neither knowledge nor wit and yet to purchase them selues estimation they saye they see no reason why God should be the doer of all things for then should he be the authour of sin Do they not then controll the holy ghost for speaking so for we must needs yeld to that And when a man hath debated the matter throughly to and fro hee must needes come too the sayde conclusion namely that we comprehende not the greatnesse and heigth of Gods dooings further than it pleaseth him to gyue vs some tast of them at leastwyse according to oure capacitie whiche is ouersmall None knoweth Gods workes but himselfe alone they are a bottomelesse depe as the scripture saith and we haue no means to attain to them in so muche that all they which will search them shal be confounded except they goe too it with all reuerence and lowlynesse Therefore it belongeth onely vnto God to giue vs knowledge what howe and wherfore he doth and therewithal it behoueth vs to content our selues with that which the scripture telleth vs And although it seeme straunge vnto vs and we be not able to comprehende it by oure capacitie and reason yet must we confesse that God is ryghtuous And forasmuch as wee attaine it not let vs tary the comming of the latter daye at which time we shall knowe no more by parcelmeale nor as it were in dimnesse as Sainct Paule sayth but wee shall then behold the things face to face which are shewed vs now as it were in a glasse Thus then wee see an excellente Texte too shewe vs howe God guydeth and gouerneth the whole worlde by hys Prouidence But wee haue further too note too what purpose the Holye Ghoste telleth vs that GOD dothe all and that nothing can come too passe without his consent It is to the ende that wee myght despise Sathan and all wicked menne when wee see them practyze and inuente neuer so manye thinges bycause wee are sure they are not able to bring theyr enterpryses about See then howe God meaneth to assure vs of his protection and too shewe vs howe Sathan is so farre off from beeing mayster of himselfe too accomplishe the thing that hee would that hee is fayne too serue Gods tourne Seeing that the case standeth so lette vs apply the holie scripture to suche vse as this namely that althoughe wee bee hemmed in with enemies rounde about and be heere as a sheepe in a woules throate yet notwithstanding we must not ceasse to trust in God and to warrant oure selues that as long as we be vnder the shadow of his wings we shall be sure of our saluation Howe so Bycause hee hath soueraine dominion ouer al creatures in such sort as he holdeth euen Satan himselfe and all wicked persons of the world in awe leadeth all things to such issue as he thinketh good â–ª Lo whervpon we ought to stay that we maye call vpon God quietly and when wee haue called vpon him assure our selues that hee will guyde vs And heerewithall it behoueth vs to beare in mynd that which I haue touched that is to wit that we become no iudges of God for that were ouergreat presumption VVere it not too diuelish a pryde if men shoulde not acknowledge God to be rightuous except they could perceiue him to be so but would haue God to humble and abase himselfe so muche us to say wel I see I must be accomptable to you As for those that aduaunce themselues into such pryde are they not al well worthy to be quite ouerwhelmed by God Yes certesse are they Also wee see here why Salomon sayth that they whiche are ouerinquisitiue in searching Gods maiestie too farre and more than is requisite for them shall be ouerwhelmed in their owne pryde so as they shall bee confounded Then there remayneth nothing for vs but to haue the sayde sobrietie of praying vnto God too teach vs so much as is for our benefite and behoofe and to receiue whatsoeuer he saith for good and rightful with out pleading to the contrarie Thus ye see howe we ought to proceede But many men thinke themselues too haue gained muche when they haue founde some trifling cauillation to vpholde that â–ª God doth not all the thinges that are doone by Sathan and by wicked men It is commonly alledged for answere that when wicked folke doe anye euill God worketh not that but onely suffereth it and simply giueth them leaue But seeing hee hath authoritie and power to let them is not his suffering or permission all one as if hee did it himselfe Therfore that is but a very fonde excuse and God hath no neede of oure leasings to maintayne his truth and ryghtuousnesse wythall VVee must not finde such startingholes to stoppe wicked folkes mouthes withall which woulde speake blasphemie against Gods holinesse but it is inough to haue that whiche the holie scripture telleth vs For that God not onely permitteth and giueth leaue but also executeth his will both by the diuell and by wicked persons it appeareth by this that the Scripture sayth not Lorde thou haste permitted but Lorde thou haste doone Like as where Dauid confesseth his sinnes and offences when God had punished him grieuously he sayth Lord of whome shall I complayne for I see it is thy hande and although that Dauid was persecuted by wicked men yet he called it the hande of god Beholde howe the Lorde himself speaketh VVill wee bee wiser than hee Shall we make him beleeue that he had neede of our gaye coloures to warrante him that no man may offer him reproch For see how he speaketh of his owne woorkes VVhen he mynded to punishe Dauid for rauishing Bethsabee hee sayde vnto him thou hast doone this thing priuilye but I will make the Sunne too beare witnesse of it Howe was that VVhat was it that God would do vnto Dauid It was that Absolom should rauish his fathers wiues and defile them in the presence of all the people in the sight of the Sunne Ye see here an inceste which is horrible and against nature and yet neuerthelesse God saith flatly I will do it for those be his words VVe see then how it is not a single leaue or permission â–ª but that God himselfe worketh in such wise as the wicked must needes bee the instrumentes of his will as wee haue sayd And I pray you as touching the office of a iudge is it no more but to giue the
may shewe the subiection which wee oughte to yeelde vnto god If God should frame himselfe to our will in the things that he sendeth vpon vs a man could not well discerne what it were to be obedient But when he handleth vs cleane contrary to our appetite and that we bee so subiect vnto him as we holde all our affections vnder hys brydle to the ende to frame ourselues to his lure and too yeelde him the honor of gouerning vs yea euen after hys owne good will as he listeth to dispose of vs therein wee shewe that we are obedient to him Thus we see what is declared to vs in this text And we see how Iob is fayne to fighte against all hys owne affections to bereeue hymselfe of them and to hold himselfe as a prisoner â–ª for otherwyse hee shoulde leape out of his boundes he should lift vp himselfe against God or at leastwise hee shoulde fall intoo such anger as hee shoulde do nothing but storme within himselfe so that God shoulde haue nother credite nor superioritie in him Then let vs take example at Iob to resist all our affections and to bring them vnderfoote if we intende to serue god For it is impossible that hee should haue the ful vse of vs til we become to that point that is to witte till wee renounce ourselues and that we set not so much store by oure lyfe but wee can better finde in our hartes to yeelde our selues subiect too hym whose wee are and too whome it becommeth vs to dedicate our lyfe than to be so giuen to our owne commoditie and ease True it is that we may well desire God too assist vs and to sende vs what so euer is meete for vs But â–ª yet therewithall wee must holde vs at this stay namely that hee may do what he knoweth to be good and that though it be agaynst our appetite yet hee will graunt vs grace to frame our selues vnto him and too folow hym throughout whither soeuer hee call vs And that is the thing which we haue to practise all the time of our lyfe VVhen a trade occupation or handicraft is hard we must haue the more time to learne it and it hath the more cunning belonging to it This lesson here is hard for vs too learne yea and ouerhard say I for vs to put in vre True it is that we can well ynough confesse how it is good reason that God should bee chiefe Mayster and reygne ouer vs and that wee should not striue against him but when it commeth to the deede doing there be very fewe that demeane themselues thereafter Therefore let vs all the time of our lyfe learne to remember the sayd lesson and to inure our selues to it vntill we haue profited in it as we haue neede to do But for asmuch as it shall bee handled more at large heereafter now I will no more but glaunce at the thinges as I passe by them Lette vs come to that which is added in the text that is too witte that Iobs wife commeth to him to prouoke him too despayre Howe nowe sayeth she Continuest thou yet still in thy singlenesse Blisse God and dye The Diuell findeth meanes ynow to incomber vs without hauing any bellowes to quicken vp the fire For wee know there is so great sturdinesse in our nature as it is pitie to see it In steade of quiet submitting of our selues vntoo God and vnto his holie spirit and will as we ought to do wee conceyue wandering imaginations and there is not any of vs all which hath not as it were a whole storehouse full of such dotages in his brayne where through he is as it were made drunken according as we knowe that all the lustes of our fleshe are enemies against god So then there is none of vs which ouershooteth not himselfe though wee haue no intycers to prouoke vs agaynst God or to drawe vs vnto despayre To be short though Satan take no instrumentes without vs to deceyue vs withall hee shall finde ynow within our owne persons Our enemies are already within vs For as I haue sayd all our wauering fancies are vtter enemies to God and all our affections are armed agaynst him to make vs striue against his punishments when he sendeth them vnto vs Therefore it was a dubble warre vnto Iob when besides the possibilitie of being tempted in himselfe hys owne wife prouoked him to despaire for that was the full measure of al miserie But God permitteth it to happen to his faithful ones and that inespecially when hee purposeth to trye them to the quicke And this lighted not vpon Iob alone But wee see it most of all in Dauid yea and wee see it also in our Lorde Iesus Chryste Beholde heere two mirroures wherein God mente to represente the said kind of temptation vnto vs For one of the greeuousest complaintes that Dauid maketh is that he was mocked for puttyng hys trust in God in somuche as hee became a laughing-stocke to euery man and men bleared out their tungs at him saying O see la he bare himselfe in hand that he sate in Gods lappe he called him his protector his buckler and his fortresse he bragged of his calling vpon hym and of his resorting to him for refuge and too bee shorte it seemed that God shoulde neuer haue forsaken hym â–ª and now a man may see howe hee hath esteemed him All the miseries that Dauid endured were not so hard to disgest ne wounded him so deadly as these reproches that men offered hym And verely Satan seeth how he holdeth vs as it were by the throte when hee hath once wonne thys poynte at oure handes For hee standeth not skanning whether hee may pricke vs and wounde vs in the arme or in the legge but hee commeth righte to the hearte and to the throate of vs when hee hathe once doone so muche that wicked folke fall a mocking of vs as thoughe wee hadde trusted to God in vayne and were disappointed of the hope that were wayted for at hys hande VVe see then that our faythe goeth too vtter wrecke if wee gyue place to any suche temptation And looke what befell vntoo Dauid the same was accomplished in oure Lord Iesus Chryste Therefore it behoueth vs who are hys members too bee fashioned lyke vnto hym and that the same likenesse be fulfilled in our persons and that we put our selues in a readinesse to resist when we indure aduersities and when wicked persons come too sting vs by scoffing at our faith of purpose to cast vs intoo such despayre as our hartes myght misgyue vs that God is agaynste vs and that we be cut short of the trust that wee reposed in him when we finde not the succoure that wee looked for at his hande Let vs arme ourselues agaynste suche â–ª temptation that we quayle not vnder it True it is as I haue erst sayde that it is a right harde temptation to ouercome but we see what is written heere of Iob. Is not
beare suche reuerence too his Maiestie as our woordes may bee well framed that there may not bee anye reproche and much lesse any outrage as wee see is happened here vntoo Iob. Yea and wee must bee the more prouoked therevntoo by this that hee sayth Let them that are woont too curse dayes curse the daye of my byrth and let them that rayse vppe weeping and lamentation ban the night wherein I was conceyued Seeing that Iob speaketh so wee see yet better that men haue neyther measure nor stay of themselues when their affections beginne too boyle vp For like as in a potte when the first seething is ouerpast and it hath cast his first skumme other walloppes come after so as a man cannot stoppe them euen so fare our affections which are so outrageous as a man cannot weeld them at the first brunt But contrarywise wee see what is taught vs in the holye Scripture namely that when Dauid ment too prayse God as became him he was not contented to applie all his wittes and all his indeuer to the dooing of it nor to call men to beare him companie but hee sayeth also Yee Heauens thou Earth ye Trees yee Hilles thou Hayle thou Snow thou Rayne and all ye senselesse creatures prayse ye the Lorde VVee see what zeal ousnesse there ought too bee in vs when wee mynde too serue God in good earnest that is too witte wee must desyre not onely that menne and women but also that the sencelesse creatures shoulde with one common consent applie themselues too prayse God with vs so as there may bee nothing in this worlde neither aboue nor beneath which shall not bende it selfe wholy to glorifie god And herewithall also let vs pray God to giue vs the grace to bee able to imploy our selues thereaboutes and to strengthen vs against all temptatiōs that may chaunce not onely agaynste the assaultes that shall be made vpon vs by our enemies from without but also agaynst the affections that are within vs. Now let vs fall downe before the presence of our good God with acknowledgment of our offences beseeching him to make vs vnderstād thē better to open our eyes that when we behold the miseries wherewith we are like to be drowned vtterly fordone we may learne to haue recourse to his soueraine goodnesse so as he may cōtinew the thing that he shall haue begōne in vs by making vs to taste of his loue And that if hee sende vs any afflictions eyther by reason of our sinnes or for the tryall of our pacience we may not be so vngracious as to grudge against him but rather blisse him assuring our selues that he hath iuste cause to chastyze vs and yet neuerthelesse beseeching him to gouerne vs in suche wyse by his holy spirit as wee may desire nothing but to frame our selues to his good will to the ende hee may cause the precious bloud of his sonne which was shedde for our redemption to bee auaylable in vs and that wee may bee settled therein more and more vntill he haue gathered vs vp to him into his immortall glorie wherevnto he calleth vs That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also to all people and nations of the earth bringing all poore ignorant soules to the knowledge c. The twelfth Sermon which is the second vpon the third Chapter This Sermon contayneth yet still the exposition of the tenth verse and of the verse folowing 11. VVherefore died I not in my mothers wombe wherefore did I not yeelde vp the Ghoste as soone as I was come out of hir wombe 12. VVherefore did the knees receyue me wherefore haue I sucked the teates 13. For now shoulde I haue lyen still and taken my rest I shoulde be in quyet and there were rest for mee 14. VVith the Kinges and Counsellers of the earth which buylde the desert places 15. VVith the Princes that haue golde and which hoorde vp Siluer in their house 16. Or I shoulde be but as an vnty mely byrth that is hidden or as an infant that hath not seene the lyght 17. There the wicked rest from their trouble there they that haue traueled lie at rest 18. There the prisoners rest togither and no man heareth the voyce of the extortioner 19. There the greate and the small are equall and the seruant is free from his maister I Haue declared heretofore that when we bee heauy and sorowfull the onely remembrance of Gods benefites muste cheere vs or at leastwise asswage our miseries and griefes so as if any aduersitie pinch me and I bethinke me of the great number of benefites that God hath done for mee the same must asswage my sorrow And sith the cace standeth so no afflictions ought to make vs forget the knowledge whiche wee haue of Gods benefites and graces and yet notwithstanding it commeth so to passe VVhereof we see example in Iob who is the true mirrour of pacience For what soeuer miseries he indured yet ought he to haue acknowledged it for a greate good fortune that hee was sent as a reasonable creature into the world that he had borne the image of God and that hee had bene cherished and mainteyned vnto mans age to the intent he myght know God to bee his father Beholde here such benefites as are inestimable and yet is Iob so farre of from commending them that hee wisheth hee had neuer tasted them VVee see then howe sore temptations trouble vs and that in steede of taking some comforte and asswagement of our sorowes by Gods benefites wee turne the same into a corzie in somuch as we could finde in our harts that God had neuer done vs any good nor that wee had neuer knowne him Not that Iob was vtterly of his minde but bycause woordes escaped his mouth without aduisement by force of the miserie that hee indured This then is no incouragement for vs to consent vnto wicked intentes but wee muste brydle our selues in suche wise that if such fancies come in our heade wee may driue them a greate way of from vs And certaine it is that here is a greate and sinfull infirmitie worthy to bee condemned For wee see the example that is shewed vs in the two and twentyth Psalme in the persone of Dauid and specially in the persone of our Lorde Iesus Christe Dauid is there as a man destitute of helpe to whome God sheweth himselfe to be contrarie in so muche that hee seemeth to be vtterly shaken of and therefore hee cryeth out My God my God why haste thou forsaken mee And this is spoken in the persone of Iesus Christ as of the heade of all the faithfull But yet neuerthelesse after he hath thus made his mone hee addeth Lorde thou diddest draw mee out of my mothers wombe thou diddest gather mee vp from the matrice thou haste shewed thy selfe to bee my God before I coulde knowe thee or call vpon thee Dauid did set this geere before him of purpose to render thankes vnto
He meaneth that we bee as it were throwne headlong into deathe at euery blowe and that we can not set forth one steppe but it shal seeme that wee are vtterly vndone But God hath the issues of death in his hande sayeth hee So then let vs marke well these sentences that wee may be throughly fenced when the diuell shall come to blowe in oure eare And who art thou Seest thou not howe thou hast no succoure from aboue the rightuous perish not To bar Satā of his purpose let vs haue these answers readie It is true that the rightuous perish not neither am I perished But thou arte as good as a dead mā sayth the Dieul and my God let vs say is he thathath the issues of deth in his hand And that is it which Dauid meaneth in an other texte saying Though I were in the shadowe of death thy sheepehooke ô Lorde shall guyde mee bicause I alwayes put my trust in thee if thou be my protector I shall bee exempted from all euill Thus yee see howe wee ought to practize this lesson And here it ensueth That such as sowe extortion or laboure extortion and such as sowe incomberance shall gather the same VVhiche thing is confirmed by a similitude For Eliphas sayeth that the roring of the Lyons is stinted that their teeth are broken and that their whelpes are destitute of praye VVherby hee meaneth that such as haue bene full of crueltie and extortion shall bee daunted by the hande of god But somewhat afore hee had sayde That the wicked had perished at the blaste of God and by the breath of his mouthe As touching the former sentence where he sayde that suche as labour for iniquitie and sowe trouble or incomberance c. I say it is a similitude taken of the tillers of the earth And the sayde two wordes Iniquitie and Trouble or which is all one vnrightuousnesse and incomberaunce are ioyned togither in the Scripture to signifie the extortions outrages which the wicked commit to vexe disquiet their neighbours and also the worde Incomberance or trouble is spoken of suche as doe nothing but tosse and turmoyle other men And first it is sayde that they Plough bycause that they which are so desirous to anoy their neyghbours and to doe them some harme doe make preparatiues like as when the laborour intendeth to sowe his grounde hee must first plough it and the earth must first be tilled Euen so the wicked consulte aforehande vpon their vngraciousnesse trecheries and vnlawfull dooings deuysing guyles and deceytes and afterwarde when they haue layde the whole platforme they seeke all meanes possible to put their lewde enterprises in execution and that is the verie laboring or tillage that Eliphas speaketh of here For he sayth that heerevpon they sowe incomberance that is to saye when they haue made their preparations they runne vpon poore men to fleece them and to eate them vp But these men sayeth hee doe reape that which they haue sowed that is to saye God maketh all the mischiefe whiche they haue conceyued and inuented against others to lyght vpon their owne heades VVee see heere a sentence that is true and wee muste take it as spoken by the holy Ghost euen to gather a generall lesson thereof And to put it to the true vse we must pray God to graunt vs the spirit of wisdome in that behalf that we may not wrest the Scripture this way or that way to draw it to a contrarie sense as wesee that Eliphas hath done But wheras the holy Scripture sayeth that suche as plough iniquitie and sowe incomberance shall reape the same it is a threatning which God vttereth against the wicked who thinke to aduaunce themselues highly when they playe the rauenous beastes fleecing one man and eating vp another specially when they deuour all seeming to themselues to bee iolly conquerours and standing in their owne conceytes for doing so But our Lorde telleth them that they beguile themselues verie muche for hee maketh all their enterprises to turne to their owne confusion VVherfore ye see a threatning whereby God purposeth to represse the ouer boldenesse and maliciousnesse of men minding to holde them short to the intent they may liue togiether in all good loue and vpright dealing so as no man may labour to hinder his neighbour like as on the contrarie side we heare also the promisse which is giuen vs in these wordes he that soweth blissednesse shall reape the same Sainct Paule speaketh this of Almesdeedes Hee sayeth that if wee sowe vpon oure neighboures that which God gyueth vnto vs we shall gatheir it againe in so much that wee shall haue abundance of his gracious giftes and blissinges and God shall shead out his riches vpon vs and shewe himselfe gracious and liberall towardes vs when we bee in necessitie This promisse then serueth to giue the faithfuil a good mynde too deale frankly with their neighbours and to succour them Nowe see we the true vse of this lesson which is that wee must keepe oure selues well from practyzing anye anoyance or deceyte And why so So little shall wee bee able to aduaunce our selues by these wicked practyzes or other vnlawfull meanes that God shall put vs to confusion in the ende VVee see then howe wee ought to represse all our wicked lustes that wee maye deale vprightly and reasonably with our neighboures On the other side for as muche as all noysomnesse and extortion displease God let vs bee well ware to behaue oure selues vprightly that is to say let vs labour to do well so as euery one of vs may not onely absteine from all misdealing but also consider that if God haue giuen vs any abilitie we muste profit one another and cōmunicate mutually altogither And heerevnto lette vs also gather togyther the sentences of holy Scripture which tende to the same ende Cursed bee thou that robbest for thou shalte bee robbed when thy turne comes about And afterwarde Looke what measure men make the same shall bee giuen them againe VVhen wee heare all these sayinges let vs vnderstande that God doth euermore turne all the mischiefe that wicked men had deuised vpon themselues The Scripture speaking of the wicked persone sayeth hee shall fall into the pit that hee hathe digged And afterwarde iudgement wythout mercie shall hee haue whiche is mercilesse and vnpitifull VVhen wee heare suche sentences lette vs tremble and bee circumspecte to walke so iustly and vprightly with our neighboures as men maye knowe that wee bee continually restrained by the feare of god Thus wee see what wee haue to marke in effect in this sentence But by the way if a man be vexed after he haue doone good or if he be persecuted when he seketh to liue in peace and concorde with his neighbours we must not conclude that hee is of the companie of those which gather trouble and incomberance bycause they had sowed it And why so For wee heare howe the holy Scripture sayeth the contrarie namely that God
sort and in such as surmount all our capacitie Specially when the cace concerneth our redemption and when it concerneth Gods sealing vp of the recorde of our adoption in vs by hys holy Spirite it is a matter that surmounteth the common order of nature Chiefly when it is sayd that he hath chozen vs before the worlde was made and that hee hath chozen vs not all in generall but so many as hee thought good and that hee hath forsaken the rest do◠wee not see secretes that are too highe for vs VVhat is to be done then Let vs assure our selues we be tootoo vnexcusable if in this behalfe we walk not with feare and warenesse considering that these are things incomprehensible and if we thinke to attaine so high our desire to stye vp after that maner aboue the skyes hauing no wings will make vs breake our neckes Moreouer when we haue giuen the glory vnto God and confessed not onely with mouth but also in very deede that his workes are incomprehensible and as a bottomlesse pitte to swallow vp all our vnderstanding let vs not ceasse to pray him too make vs perceyuc them so farre foorth as he knoweth them meete for our capacitie and therewithall let vs also searche that which is shewed vs in the holy Scripture For God will not haue vs negligent it is not for vs to say with the Papistes O wee muste not bee inquisitiue of Gods secretes For why then was the holy Scripture giuen vs Gods will is that euery man shoulde seeke after him but yet therewithall his wyll is also that men shoulde holde the waye which hee sheweth them that is to wit that they should with al humilitie follow that which is conteyned in the holy scripture Nowe when wee haue learned that which God teacheth vs in his schole let vs hold vs to it and if there come any toy in our head to the contrarie so as our harts be tickled to seeke for more than is meete for vs to know let vs beware that we haue the wisdome modesty to say Poore creature is it meete that thou shouldest presume to haue a larger instruction thā that which God giues thee in the holy scripture So then let vs wey well this saying to the end we may hold our selues in such sobrietie as we iudge not rashly of Gods workes For by and by it is sayd That God is he which doth wonderfull deedes without end VVhereas Gods wor◠are called wonderful or secret for so the worde importeth it is to bring vs to the reuerencing of thē For Gods meening is not that our knowing of such greatnesse in his works shoulde be to astonish vs and to driue vs further off from him but contrarywise to draw vs to such a reuerence as we shoulde honor him saying Lorde howe mightie art thou Lorde howe great is thy power thy goodnesse thy iustice and thy wisdome Vndoubtedly Dauid knew wel the infinit greatnesse of gods workes and yet notwithstanding hee ceasseth not to say Lorde thy works are full of wisdome and rightuousnesse He knew well what we haue to consider of Gods works and yet hee honoured them neuerthelesse Let vs learne then too conceyue suche a greatnesse of Gods workes as might make vs dull lyke brute beastes so as we should not knowe where to become nor take any instruction of good learning by them but so too conceyue of it as the same may serue to represse vs that our wits be not ouerwandring and that wee play not horses that are broken loose and so take libertie as I haue tolde you to say I will know how this and this cōmeth to passe Not so but let vs be modest For our true wisedome is to be ignorant in the things that God will haue hidden frō vs Thus we see how we must prepare our selues to lowlinesse modestie And furthermore let vs vnderstand ther withall that we must reuerence the workes of god And howe To comprehende the infinite wisedome rightuousnesse and power that is conteyned in thē according to our smal capacitie assuring our selues that God doth not any thing without reason no not although the same be not knowne vnto vs at the first dash For God doth not alwayes vtter a present reason in his workes so as mē may perceiue thē and againe the sayd wisdome is so deepe as it is named a bottomlesse pit Therefore let vs learne to reuerēce gods works although we perceiue not euermore the cause why hee worketh so VVee see well then in what wise Gods workes are wonderfull And hee sayth expressely that they haue none ende VVhereby men are yet better humbled For it wee chaunce to come to the full vnderstanding of some one thing O it seemeth to vs that nothing can go beyonde vs we be so cunning that all questions whiche can be propounded vnto vs shall bee assoiled out of hand But put the cace we be able to iudge of Gods workes as of two or of three or of a hundred VVhat is that It is right nought And why so For they are without number But as I haue sayd alreadie the least of Gods workes is ynough to ouerwhelme vs and what then shall become of vs whē we come to the sayd bottomlesse depth whereof there is none ende Lo howe it behoueth vs to wey well that which is spoken heere generally in way of preface to make vs to enter into better consideration of all Gods workes than we are wont to do that we may yeeld the honor vnto his Maiestie which is due to him But as I haue touched heeretofore after that Eliphas hath spoken so in generall he speaketh particularly also saying That God giueth raine vpon the earth and maketh the waters to gush downe the streetes This seemeth to bee nothing to the purpose For the matter in hand is only that men may perceiue thēselues to be rightly punished and that if God handle thē after his own wil they must not stand pleading against him for they shall gaine nothing by so doing but must of necessitie be ouercome And why thē is mention made here of the rayne This should seeme to be a bymatter But we must marke that when we bee put in mynde of the cōmon order which God kepeth in gouerniug his creatures it is to the end that we should apply it al wholy to our owne vse For when we haue run vp and downe trauersed frō one side to another we must enter into our selues we must waken vp our wits and we must apply all this doctrine too such vse as I haue spoken of which is that we may honour God as he deserueth Thus ye see why here is mention made of the raine And no doubt but that vnder one particular Eliphas cōprehendeth them all as if he should say VVe not onely see that God hath created all things and that there is such workmanship in the skies in the earth as al they that think vpon it must needes be astonied at it
in the eightenth Psalme I will be stubborne against such as are stubborne VVee make a fayre hande if we be stout and stubborne and furnish against God let vs not thinke to compasse hym by that meanes For hee will bee froward wyth the frowarde that is too say he will bee ouer terrible when hee seeth men vse such an obstinate malice against hym and therefore needes must they bee vtterly oppressed But if wee bee of a meeke minde too submitte our selues too the mightie hande of God it is certaine that we shall alwayes fynd that thing in him whiche is spoken of here Then lette vs followe that whiche is shewed vs by the Apostle Humble your selues sayeth hee vnder the mightie hande of god For who soeuer stoupeth downe with his head who soeuer boweth his knee before God to honoure him shall feele his hande ready too releeue him if hee fall But hee that lifteth himselfe vp againste God shall be sure to feele Gods hand against hym Desire wee to feele Gods hand vnder vs to ayde vs Then let vs humble our selues But who soeuer aduaunceth himselfe hee muste needes rushe againste the hande of God and feele the thunderclap that shall vtterly ouerwhelme him And so let vs beare wel in mynd this lesson when it is sayde Refuse not the correction of the almightie VVen we shall haue caught hold of Gods goodnesse so as wee know his fatherly loue it will serue to sweeten the afflictions whyche otherwise will seeme harshe and sharpe to vs But in the meane while euery one of vs muste applye thys lesson to his owne vse For it will bee an easie matter for vs to say Blissed bee God for chastizing men so and yet in the meane season when wee ourselues be chastized we do not prayse hym but rather grudge against him Truly we must not deale so with him But when soeuer we our selues are scourged let vs receyue the corrections paciently and let vs our selues take those things for incoragements which we can skil to giue for comforts vnto others Let vs vnderstande then how there is not that man of vs which hath not many vices in him and that the same are as many diseases which God cannot heale but by meanes of the afflictiōs which he sendeth vs True it is that if he listed to vse an absolute power he could well doo it otherwise but we speake not now of Gods almightinesse we treate only of the meane which his will is to keepe towardes vs For asmuch then as it is Gods wil to hold this said order of remedying our vices by scourging vs it behoueth euery of vs to study this lesson for himselfe to the end we may all confesse wyth Dauid Lord it is to my profite that thou hast brought me low Dauid speaketh not there of other men to say Lord thou hast done well to chastize such as haue done amisse but he beginneth at himselfe And so must we doo And that is it which the holy Ghost sheweth vs heere saying Behold the man is happie whom God chastizeth And why so For men cannot abide to be gouerned by God but they striue against hym and continue always vnamendable and therefore it is needefull and profitable for them to be chastized of god And for asmuch as wee see Gods hand lifted vp now a dayes both generally and seuerally we ought to be the more touched with this doctrine It is apparant into what enormities the worlde is come and is it any wonder then if God shew such rigour And yet is it certaine that he beareth very much with vs in doing thereof True it is that a man may see he punisheth not the wicked as he doth vs notwithstanding that they be rebellious and obstinate to the vttermost and wil not yeeld themselues vnto God for all the warnings that a man can giue them But what He summoneth them by all the afflictions which he layeth before their eyes in the persons of other mē and specially by those which he maketh them to feele now and then in their owne persons And he will condemne them of stubborne wilfulnesse bycause they continue so rebellious and obstinate But on our side let vs pray him that he will not suffer vs too bee so hardened but that assoone as hee shall shewe vs the signes of his displeasure he will worke in such wise in vs by his holy spirite as hee may soften the sayd hardnesse of our harts that his grace may take place whē he shal haue receiued vs to mercie according as we haue neede therof and as we may perceyue if we be not toto ouerblockish But let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with aknowlegemēt of our faults beseching him to make vs so to mislike of thē as we may desire nothing so much as to returne to him to craue pardon framing our selues wholly to his good wil according as hee hath shewed the same to vs in his holy law to walke al our life long in his feare And so let vs say Almightie God c. The .xxij. Sermon which is the sixt vpon the fifth Chapter 19 He vvill deliuer thee from sixe afflictions and in the seuenth the euill shall not touch thee 20 In the time of death he shall preserue thee from death and from the svvord in the time of vvarre 21 Thou shalt bee hidden from the scourge of the tong and thou shalt not bee afrayd vvhen destruction commeth 22 Thou shalt laugh in destruction and dearth and shalt not be afrayde of the beastes of the fielde 23 Thou shalt haue league vvith the stones and the vvilde beastes shall bee brought to haue peace vvith thee 24 Thou shalt perceyue that thy Tent is in suretie and in visiting thy house thou shalte not bee greeued 25 Thou shalt see thy linage increace and thine ofspring as the grasse of the ground 26 Thou shalt come to thy graue being full as a recke of corne gathered in due season 27 Behold vve haue inquired of these things it is so therefore herken and marke it for thy selfe YEsterday I intreated of the comforte that is set downe heere for all the faithfull when God afflicteth them whyche is that their woundes are not deadlye bicause God wil at length deliuer them from their miseries for so much as he is the Surgion to cure their stripes And truly he tempereth them with such measure as we are not vtterly oppressed bycause he vpholdeth vs for pitie of the feeblenesse that is in vs Therefore to be shorte God by his wonderfull prouidence doth continually cause the issue of our afflictions to be happie and ministreth matter of gladnesse vnto vs considering how it is for our benefit and welfare as Sainct Paule also speaketh in the eyght to the Romanes And now to confirme the same matter it is sayde That God will delyuer his chozen from sixe troubles or daungers and that in the seuenth the euill shall not come at them Heereby it is signified vnto vs
were greatlye too the defacing of my glorie and Maiestie Yee see then what Iobs cheefe meening is Furthermore wee haue too marke that this present sentence is not like that of the eyght Psalme where it is sayde Lorde what is man that thou makest so muche of him Yee see heere howe the woordes are sette in theyr proper signification but in Iobs saying they bee taken cleane contrarie For in the said text of the Psalme which I haue alledged Dauid recounteth Gods infinite goodnesse in that he thinketh so vpon his creatures and that he vouchsafeth too haue a care of them too guyde them and to gouerne them If ye looke vpon man in himselfe ye shall see so poore a creature as it may well seeme that God ought not too haue respect of him or too caste his eye vppon him Nowe then when wee see that God not onely vouchsafeth too gouerne men but also maketh them Lordes of all his creatures according as it is sayde there that hee hath made both the beastes of the feelde and the byrdes of the ayre and the fishes of the sea too serue our turnes withall seeing hee hath so disposed all things to serue vs and to succour our necesâ—ities it seemeth that God beareth vs suche a loue as hee putteth all that he hath vnder our hands saying I withhold nothing from you Ye see then that the wretchednesse and poorenesse of men yeeldeth a greater beauty to Gods goodnesse and mercie than if wee had any thing of oure owne that coulde prouoke him to do vs good Thus ye see Dauids playne meening And this thing is specially fulfilled in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ For although hee be the onely sonne of God yet notwithstanding so it is that in respect of his manhoode hee was the sonne of Abraham and was fully like vs in all poynts sinne onely excepted And so when we see that God hath made much of him by gyuing all things intoo his hande to the ende that wee shoulde recouer that thing in him whiche wee loste in Adam therein God hath shewed the greate and infinite treasures of his mercie And verely Iesus Christe is the true looking glasse of Gods grace whiche afterward is spred out vpon all his members And so after the example of Dauid wee haue good cause too exalte the goodnesse of God when wee see that hauing begonne first in Adam and afterwarde in Iesus Christ by whome all is made whole agayne that was beaten downe and defaced in Adam hee continueth still at this day in doing vs good and we bee made parttakers of all his riches Heerein wee haue good cause too maruell and too saye Alas Lorde what are wee that thou visitest vs that thou vsest vs so familiarly that wee bee as thy children that thou holdest vs as in thy lappe that thou shewest thy selfe so bountifull towardes vs I o what wee ought too doo But in this place Iob taketh all too the fiat contrarie VVherein wee see that when mennes mouthes are oute of taste nothing can like them in cace as if a mannes stomacke were squeymishe by meanes of sicknesse the beste and finest meates that coulde bee brought vntoo him shoulde haue no sauour with him but should lothe him and prouoke him as it were too vomiting So standeth the cace with vs when wee bee yll disposed and haue not a right and well ruled iudgement Gods graces shall haue no taste nor sauer with vs Is there any thing that oughte too prouoke vs more too loue God than when wee knowe that hee commeth downe after that sorte vnto vs and that hee dooth as ye woulde say put the meate into our mouthes as a moother dooth too hir yong babes and that hee hath his wings spred oute too receyue vs vnder them as it is sayde in the song of Moyses VVhen wee see God too haue so familiar a care of vs is it not ynoughe too rauishe vs oute of our wittes Ought not the consideration therof to susfize vs throughly But as for them that are forweeryed and full of anguishe they come so farre shorte of tasting this too theyr profite that they coulde finde in theyr hartes that God were a greate way off from them according as wee see it is happened vnto Iob â–ª at leastewise in respect of his fleshly affection No doubt but hee resisted it and had pacience howbeit that the same were secrete and hidden within him neuerthelesse it behooued the same passion to shewe it selfe whatsoeuer it were and God ment too humble him thereby VVee see then howe Iob turneth Gods prouidence quite vpside downe and that in steade of coÌ„forting and cheering himselfe therewith he woulde fayne that God were farre of VVhat is man sayeth he that thou makest so muche of him Yea verely But if God chastize vs wheÌ„ we do amisse must we therefore say he aduaunceth vs to muche and that he doeth vs wrong It is not with him as it is with mortall men For if a man bee offended with me he will hold scorne to match himselfe with his vnderling but will bende himselfe agaynste his equall And wherefore For the matter standeth vpon reuenging But if God chastize vs for the faultes that wee haue committed it is not too auenge himselfe of vs hee passeth for no such thing VVhat then For two reasons The one is that wee muste bee fayne to take him for our iudge spite of oure teeth when wee haue despyzed him neuer so muche And the other is that he would not haue vs to perishe and therefore he correcteth vs to the end we should come backe agayne to him and he calleth vs by that meanes to repentance VVee will not say they are vncomely things for God to punishe vs and to preace so vpon vs too the intent too plucke vs backe from our sinnes and to shew himselfe to be our iudge and that we should learne to be subiect vnto him VVe see then howe thaÌ„klesse men are sith they turne the good turnes vpside downe which God doth to them And moreouer lette vs vnderstand that if it befell vnto Iob to bee so tempted as hee wished God awaye from him the like temptation may well happen vnto vs not only to shake vs but also to put vs to such a plundge as we shall be quite ouerthrown Then must men bee well aduised to fense themselues aforehaÌ„d and accordingly to that which I haue declared we must acknowledge that God bindeth vs exceedingly much vnto him in that he vouchsafeth to visit vs and as it were to keepe watch and warde ouer our life and too haue a fatherly â–ª care of vs as wee can neuer magnifie his grace to muche Yea and when hee punisheth vs for our sinnes let vs assure our selues that his chastening of vs is not for that wee bee worthy of it there is no cause why hee shoulde once put to his hande but that hee should let vs go for suche as we are Then in sending vs punishmeÌ„ts God sheweth
hapneth that wicked men rayle at God and other some blaspheme him and men dare not open their mouthe to reproue and rebuke them in so much that they haue full scope and triumph to the worldward when this is seene the weake are greeued and it seemeth to them that the mightie power and rightuousnesse of God are defaced therby and so they can not yeld him the glory that belongeth to him But we see how it is as it were a naturall thing in man to pleade after that maner against God and although it be a monstrous thing and such a one as we ought to abhor exceedingly yet is it an ordinarie vice Sith the case standeth so let vs not bee ouer muche disquieted when it hapneth Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in mind And it behoueth vs too marke well what is added here for the second poynt that is to wit that if God charge vs with a thousande articles we be not able scarsly to answere one Here we be admonished that when we haue serched out oure vices to the vttermoste that wee shall not come to the knowledge of the hundreth parte no nor to so much as one of euerie thousand True it is that if men examine themselues well without hypocrisie they muste needes finde themselues wrapped in so many euilles as they may bee ashamed of themselues and vtterly dismayed specially wee For thoughe a man picke out them that bee the holyest yet muste they raunge them selues in one ranke with Dauid who hathe confessed that no man can attayne to the true knowledge of his sinnes Nowe if the holiest and suche as seeme Angells are altogither confounded in their sinnes bycause the number of them is infinite I pray you what is to bee sayde of the common sort For wee must neuer take our selues to haue profited so much but that wee be still farre behynde them that I speake of So then if men examine their liues throughly they shall find such a bottomlesse gulf of sinnes as they shall be vtterly dismayed But is this all we attayne not yet the knowledge of the hundreth part in such sort as were requisite And why so Ye see that Dauid who entred his faults cryed out who is he that knoweth his owne sinnes Hee confesseth then that he knew exceeding much and afterward he addeth Lord clenze me from my secrete sinnes And why sayeth he so How calleth he them secret sinnes for it behoueth vs to knowe our sinnes or else we can not confesse them to be sinnes The answer is that Dauid wist wel that God seeth more cleerely than wee doe And so seeing our own conscience vpbraydeth vs what shall we say to the iudgement of God Ye see then the order that we haue to kepe that is too wit that euery of vs enter into himselfe and search out his owne vices throughly so farre as hee can come to the knowledge of them And haue we sifted thē out well behold our conscience is our iudge and what maner iudge is it True it is a iudge that is greatly to bee feared but dothe not God see farre more cleerer than a mortall man My conscience accuseth mee of a thousand sinnes and if God enter into reckening with mee shall hee not find many mo So then it standeth vs in hand to wey well what is sayde heere that is to witte that of a thousand poyntes we can hard and scarsly answere vnto one and that when wee shall haue espyed one faulte by our selues God passeth farre further for he seeth the sins that we be not priuie to Nowe then folowing that which is sayd here let vs lerne to bethink vs of our faults in such wise as wee may be fully resolued in our selues that God contenteth not himself with that which commeth to our owne knowledge but will iudge according to that which he himselfe seeth and knoweth and not according to that which we can finde for we will leape ouer the quicke coles as it is sayde in the prouerbe but God plungeth vs in them ouer head and eares It is he to whome it belongeth too search the heart as the Scripture attributeth vntoo him And besides this wee discerne not so well betweene vices and vertues as we ought to doe That poynt therefore must be reserued vnto him And wherefore descerne we them not If we will iudge well and rightly of all our works it standeth vs in hand to know what perfection is For without perfectnesse there is nothing good before God that is to say all is but filthynesse wher there wants perfection And who is he that deserueth to be allowed of God if this perfection shewe not itselfe in him But nowe howe shall we know what perfection is considering that our eysight is so dim and that we see but as it were in the twylight Although God inlighten vs yet haue not wee so pure and cleane a sight as can vse the brightnesse which hee sheweth vs True it is that the worde of God entreth intoo the bottome of oure heartes and perceth through our bones and the marie and all that is in them True it is that it is a burning cresset true it is that Iesus Christ is called the daysunne and that he shineth ouer al but yet for all that our eysight ceasseth not to be dim stil Therefore it standeth vs greatly in hande to knowe what perfection is And hereby we be put in mynde that when soeuer we take things to bee good and perceyue not any fault in them yet are they not therefore without faulte for we knowe not the perfection that God requireth To be shorte there is none but only God that knoweth what perfection and soundnesse is And why It is in him hee knoweth it and we be too feeble to atteyne vnto it That is the cause why it is sayde that wee may well set a fayre face vpon the matter but we shall not be able to answer one poore poynte of a thousand that shall bee alledged and layde afore vs And I haue tolde you already that men are warned that if they will pleade with God they shall alwayes find themselues confounded to their damnation Howbeit all to late And this warning is very profitable for vs what is the reason To the intent that before the blowe come euery man shoulde holde himselfe within the boundes of sobernesse and modestie to say Alas what a thing is it for vs to go to law with our God Thinke we to get the vpper hande of him nay cleane contrariwise God shall ouerwhelme vs And behold the only way to be acquit at his hand is for euery man to cōdemne himselfe But if we fall to sturdinesse God wil punish vs for such pride It may be that at the first push hee wil not shew vs our confusion but at the length we shal be so snarled in it as wee shall not winde our selues out agayne Yee see then intoo what a maze God casteth all the presumptuous sort which vndertake to
ende hee may bee inclined to pitie vs And the holy scripture is full of suche texts where the faithfull say Alas Lorde what is man Behold Dauid sayth Seeing that my life is but a breath that passeth away without returning Lorde wilte not thou haue pitie vpon vs to succoure vs seeing thou perceyuest vs to be so fraile And that God heareth suche requests it appeereth by other texts as by this he remembered that they were but flesh a breath that passeth and returneth not agayne Yee see then ho 〈…〉 God witnesseth that when hee shewed mercie to the children of Israell and dealt not with them according to theyr deserts it was bycause he sawe they were but flesh and that there was nothing but corruption in them and therefore hee bare with them Seeing then that Gods will is such as to spare vs in consideration of the wretchednesse that is in vs it is certayne that we may and ought to alledge that poynt vnto hym when we intend to obteyne mercie at his hand Therefore let vs marke well that the words which Iob vseth are lawfull for vs and that the same is a good forme of praying vnto God so be it that we go to him with humilitie and say Lord consider what I am for I am as a leafe yea euen as a leafe that is already withered and yet goest thou about to wipe me out and to ouerwhelme me vtterly and who am I I am as stubble that is already dry or as grasse that is already cut downe there is no more life nor substance in me alas my God if thou persecute me moreouer what shall become of me If wee speake after this maner God will accept suche complaints Not when we come to him with suche pride as if he were bound vnto vs but when wee lay oure miseries before him to the end he should succoure vs and remedie them such maner of prayers are heard at his hande And therewithall let vs beware of questioning as Iob doeth VVhy esteemest thou me as thine enimie Iob alledgeth it as an vnseemely thing for god to do as if he had said See Lorde thou art almightie and what am I lesse than nothing And yet commest thou to holde plea againste me whereas I am but a wretched rotten tree and there is nother life nor sap more in me VVilt thou then trie thy strength against me as he sayeth heeretofore so repeteth he his wordes And that is the cause why I sayde that wee must keepe our selues from being so caried away by oure affections For although God be almightie and wee as frayle as may be yet notwithstanding it is not for nought that he entereth into battell against vs If wee thinke that straunge we must shut our eyes that is to say we must not be so ouerwise in our owne vnderstanding as to saye I would fayne knowe the reason why God handleth mee after this sort Let vs keepe our selues from suche presumptuousnesse Yea marie but what is meant by this that God who hath all things in his hande and with his onely looke maketh the mountaynes to melt as waxe agaynste the fire or as snow against the sunne who with his only word cā destroy the whole world doth neuerthelesse aduaunce himselfe to fight hand to hand with me I say wyth me that am a wretched creature VVhat meeneth that VVell may we argue on that sort but God will make the conclusion to confound vs Then let vs not be ouerwise as I sayd but let vs take Gods scourging of vs for good how great or how strong so euer he be and how dreadfull so euer his maiestie bee towards vs let vs not ceasse too yeeld him the glory assuring ourselues that hee is righteouse and that hee doth all-things according too reason though hee bend himselfe againste vs and make countenance as though hee would ouerwhelme vs But in very deede there is good cause why God should shew himselfe our enimie yea euen though we be vnable to withstande him that he despise vs For inasmuch as we be so proude as wee will not stoupe vnder him and will always seeme rightuouse he must needes shew vs our lesson yea and he must shew vs it by force for by our good will we will not yeeld our selues giltie and therefore God compelleth vs by scourging vs according to our deserts And is not thys a iust cause why God should shewe himselfe our enimie Againe put the cace that God mind not to scourge vs for our sinnes yet if he shew himselfe to bee our enimie and be against vs it is to the end wee should fight againste the temptation of desirousnesse to know why we be so condemned which is a very great and combersome temptation Gods meening therefore is to see whither wee wyll abide firme and stedfast in his seruice notwithstanding that he seeme to be our enimie And seeing that his drift is such why should we not beare it paciently Ye see then how we ought to be restreyned from pleading notwithstanding that God shewe himselfe our enimie and that there be no power nor abilitie in vs to resist him For hee hath iust reason to do so though we bee not priuie too it and againe he sheweth vs it partly wherefore wee oughte to bee contented with the smallest tast that hee giueth vs Heerewithall we must take warning by these two similitudes what we be namely to the end wee may learne too walke warely and also know how great neede we haue to be hild vp and mainteyned by Gods hand and to be strēgthened by his goodnesse VVhat is a man when God leaueth him in his naturall state No doubt but hee thynkes himselfe a iolly fellow For we see how men are sotted in ouerweening and beare themselues in hand that by theyr owne wisdome strength and all that they haue besides they be able to moue mountaynes and woorke wonders But what sayeth the scripture of them Beholde a broken leafe behold a withered herb behold drye stubble That is to say we be without freshnesse without substantialnesse and worsse than nothing and whatsoeuer glory we weene we haue it is but a blast Seeing then that God setteth such mirrours afore vs let vs looke vppon oure owne feeblenesse and learne to humble our selues and to rid and strip ourselues naked from all ouerweening For what do men whē they challenge any thing to themselues but deceiue themselues as it were wittingly and willingly Lo howe God commeth foorth and telleth vs he will not haue vs so beguiled with fond and foolish opinions And therfore he telleth vs we be no better than grasse cut downe which withereth out of hand so as we be without lyfe and destitute of all strength and grace Thus much concerning this poynt Now Iob addeth That God holdeth him locked vp as in a payre of stockes and therewithall he sayeth also that God wryteth bitternesse against hym and maketh hym to possesse all the sinnes of his youth thou lockest mee in
is in this world But God hath appointed it an ende and when he calleth vs to himselfe then is the good and sure reste And the cace standeth not therevpon hauing a lyfe that is equall with this life in length of tyme but God maketh vs partakers of his owne life which is endlesse And therefore let vs be of good cheere seeing wee haue whereof to reioyce in the shortnesse of oure life and cause to bee pacient and no cause at all too bee very muche out of quiet And why For if we had a hope of the heauenly life then should we perceiue that this world is nothing And if wee be now and then disquieted VVell may wee sigh for the matter but we shall be comforted by and by bicause wee bee sure that God will bring vs to a good end by receyuing vs intoo his euerlasting reste Thus yee see in what wise wee ought to marke this doctrine if we purpose too fare the better for it Furthermore sorasmuch as wee see men so turmoyled with vnquietnesse and tormenting themselues with their owne affections and lusts we haue so muche the more cause to bridle our fleshly affections For which of vs coueteth not to liue in peace VVee can well confesse that although we haue all the world at wil yet notwithstanding if wee bee vnquieted in oure selues behold it is so greate a corzie that all the reste is nothing woorth we caÌ„ confesse this And wherin lyeth our peace In hauing our eye vpon God and in resting in suche wiâ—e vpon the loue that hee beareth vs namely vpon his free loue as we do acknowledge our selues to be alwayes vnhappie till hee receyue vs to himselfe and moreouer in traueling towardes him and his kingdome withoute setting our harts vpon these corruptible things Lo where in the peace of men coÌ„sisteth But in steade hereof it seemeth that we will make warre with God to the ende he should rise vp againste vs and make vs feele what an enemie wee haue when he is faine to set vpon vs And therefore let euery of vs beware that he bridle his passions affectioÌ„s For if we come like wilde beastes to lift vp our selues against our God muste we not be worse than starke mad Then let vs beare well in mind what is sayde here coÌ„cerning the troublesomnesse of maÌ„s life let vs so thinke vpoÌ„ it as it may serue to rule and correct oure wicked lustes which stirre vs thrust vs forward vnto all euill Ye see then in what wise wee ought to practize this lesson to receiue good auailable instruction by it to our saluation Specalâ—y vpon this poynt where it is sayd that no man can make that thing pure cleane which commeth of vncleannesse and filthinesse let vs marke well that here our Lord ment to send vs to confusion to the intent we should not haue aught wherof to boast but onely in him and of his meere goodnesse And it is requisite that men should be shamed after that sort bicause they blindfold their owne eyes beare themselues in hand that there is much worthinesse in them VVee see the diuell neuer ceassed yet to deface that which is coÌ„teined in the holy scripture coÌ„cerning the corruption that is in maÌ„ There haue bin heretiks inough which haue borne the world in hand that originall sinne is nothing except we follow Adam of our owne will. But yet Gods will was that they shoulde not altogither preuaile Neuerthelesse in the papacie ther is forging of free will and there is buylding of morall vertues the reason whereof is set downe afore And too what ende tendeth all this but that men should like well of themselues and thinke themselues to haue some goodnesse in them Not that any body dareth saye that a man is able to saue himselfe For euen in the papacie it will be confessed that wee haue neede of Gods grace not onely in forgyuing oure sinnes but also in aiding vs with his holy spirite And yet for all this they saye not that all commeth of him The Papistes will not confesse that But they say that we haue a certayne portion of goodnesse in oure selues and that God had neede to helpe vs out with the reste Lo howe God is made a cohelper that is to say he must help our infirmitie but yet muste wee on our side be companions with him The deuill hath so bewitched men as hee maketh them beleeue they bee I wote not what and yet for all that wee see also that to the worldwarde men stande greatly in their owne conceits How commeth it to passe that suche as haue any witte or knowledge do so aduance themselues As for them that are in credite and authoritie are they not as idols that honoure themselues To be short there needeth nothing to perswade men that there is greate worthinesse in them For althoughe no man tell it them yet dooth euery man forge and frame store of leazings to beguyle himselfe withall and if there be any flatterings put to vs besides wee receyue them as easily as may be and they be suger to vs God therfore is fayne to knocke vs harde vpon the heads with greate beetels to beate vs downe for if he shoulde let vs alone as wee bee pryde woulde dwell continually in vs and we would not bow downe our necke nother wold we bee acknowne of our dette as they say And that is the cause why the holy Ghost speaketh to vs of the vncleannesse whiche is in vs by nature as when Dauid in the one and fifteth Psalme sayeth that hee was begotten in sinne and that his mother conceyued him in sinne hee accuseth not nother his father nor his mother but pleadeth gyltie for himselfe as if he had sayd that he was vncleane before God euen from his byrth Howbeit we see that Iob was so carryed awaye in his former passions as hee applyed this thing too the cleane coÌ„trarie VVherfore sayeth he that the thing which commeth of vncleannesse cannot be pure cleane His intent is to seeke some startinghole to abate the damnation that lyeth vpon all men But it is cleane coÌ„trariwise as we see in the text that I alledged out of Dauid For after that Dauid had acknowledged his horrible sinne whereby he had offended God he hilde not himselfe coÌ„tented with that but passed further saying Alas Lorde it is not onely in my life time that I haue done amisse but I haue also brought suche a possession of sinne from my byrth that euer since I was borne into the world I haue still increased more more in the euil wherof I haue the seede within me Thus ye see how Dauid did set originall sinne before hys eyes not to hunt for any pretence too cleere himself before God but to passe the coÌ„demnation wherin he was Then must we so deale when we speake of originall sinne as it may not bee too exempt our selues from Gods iudgemente as wee see these skoffers doo whiche say that
vanitie wee shall alwayes bee in a mammering there needeth but one little ▪ blast of wind and behold our faith is quite blowne downe Then let vs beare in mind that antiquitie muste not beare suche sway with vs but that yong folke may vtterly refuse to be ruled by such as are their elders specially if they go about to turne them from that whyche they haue learned concerning the only one God and his truth Lo what wee haue to marke And heere withall as for those that haue liued long time in this world let them not glory in their age nor say that they ought to take other folkes in a trip but rather knowe that they are so muche ▪ the more bound vnto God for giuing them the meanes and occasiōs to be settled and stayed ▪ and furthermore let them father all their wisedome vpon God so as all pride be cast downe that they imagine not themselues to haue gotten any knowledge eyther by length of tyme or by finenesse of witte or by their owne forecast or by their great experience or by any thing els How then ▪ Bycause it hath pleased God to poure out his spirit vpon vs that we might know how greatly wee be beholden vntoo him And let the yong men also on their side knowe that if God haue giuen them any gift of grace it is bycause he will not leaue them destitute of his spirite no more than the old folke and such as haue liued a long time but intēdeth to shew that in making vs all partakers of the selfe-same grace of his spirite he will also make vs all heyres of his heauenly kingdome to come to his euerlasting glory which he hath now reuealed vnto vs already in part Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying hym to make vs so to feele them as we may flee to him alone as to the partie that is able to remedie all our harmes and seeke him in such wise as wee may bee hilde prisoners vnder his obedience and not desire any thing but to sticke purely and simply to his word renouncing what soeuer is of our owne nature bycause there is nothing but corruption and frowardnesse in it and also praying him too renew vs in such wise by his holy spirite that by being likeshapen to his image we may haue so much the better certentie and proofe that he taketh vs for his children and we also may yeelde him thanks agayne as too our father That it may please him to graunt this grace not only too vs but also to all people c. The .lviij. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xv. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the .viij. ix and x. verses and then vpon that which followeth 11 Seeme Gods comfortes a small thing vnto thee and is this straunge vntoo thee 12 VVhy is thy hart rauished and vvhy do thyne eyes make signe 13 That thou bucklest thy selfe against God and vtterest the vvordes of thy mouth before hym 14 VVhat is man that hee should bee cleane or he that is borne of vvoman that he shoulde be rightuouse 15 Behold he findeth no stedfastnesse in his Saincts nother are the heauens cleane in his sight 16 And hovv much more is man abhominable and filthie vvho drinketh iniquitie as vvater WE sawe yesterday the reproche that was offered vnto Iob in respect of his age and therevpon I saide it was good reason that yong folke should be ruled by the counsell of their elders and giue eare to suche as haue had more experience by reason of lōg vse and also that forasmuch as God hath giuen old men the grace to liue long they ought to consider that they are bound to teach others and to shew them the way and yet for all that that both yong and old ought too knowe that there is no true wisdome but of God who giueth it from aboue and that God dealeth foorth the same in such wise as he thinketh good and men must not imagine that he is bounde vnto them for he hath promised to poure out his spirit vpon greate and small as he listeth to the end it may be knowen too bee a free gift and that the praise of it ought to be giuen to him alone Now heere agayne Eliphas vpbraydeth Iob that he hath not heard Gods secretes This poynteth at all men in generall For it behoueth vs too vnderstande the rudenesse and weakenesse of our owne witte and the true meane to do it is to reuerence Gods secrets knowing that they are incomprehensible and too high for vs to attaine vnto For as long as men presume vpon their owne wit and thinke to atteyne too the heighth of Gods secrets it is certayne that they cannot be humbled nor brought to anye modestie Ye see then that the poynt whereto we must come is that we must reuerence and honour Gods secrets seeing we haue not the capacitie to cōprehend them in so much that we haue no more to do but to acknowledge our own infirmitie and to crie out euery one with Dauid Lorde how high are thy determinations how ought we to reuerence them Yee see then in effect what Eliphas ment in saying vnto Iob that he had not heard the secrets of God. And this doctrine is as often repeted and as common in the holy scripture as any can be bycause it is hard to abate the pride which is naturally rooted in all men For not onely euery one of vs will take vpon him to bee wiser than hys fellowe but also we cannot finde in our harts to acknowledge oure owne slendernesse to humble our selues euen when we come before god Therefore we haue neede to be brought low and to be warned as the Scripture doth it that we must not go about to comprehend the purpose of god For that is too high and to profound a thing for vs VVhat remayneth then To honour it acknowledging our owne rawnesse and weakenesse as I sayd afore But by the way wee muste come to that whiche Sainct Paule sayeth in the first to the Corinthians that is to wit that our Sauiour hath giuen vs of his owne spirit whereby we know and comprehend that which is aboue all our capacitie Then although we be not of counsell with God yet hath he shewed vs the fauour and honour to disclose vnto vs that which is vnknowne and hidden from vs How is that There is none that knoweth what is in man but the spirit whiche dwelleth in him sayeth S. Paule and the spirit that dwelleth in God is giuen vnto vs Thus ye see how we be made partakers of the things that are vtterly separated from vs and wherevnto wee cannot by anye meanes approch Marke heere a singular grace whych we ought to make great account of namely that our Lorde hath inlightened vs euen vs that were wretched blynde soules And although we comprehend not the things that are heere bylow yet are wee lifted vp aboue the
beholde such a daunger or such a mischaunce will light vpon me is there no meanes to shift it off On the other side they shall see God pursuing them with his darts ready to rush vpon them and with his bowe bent ▪ that is to witte with his thunderbolts to strike them downe No maruell then though they be greatly out of quiet and in great distresse And so wee see the difference that is betwixt the feeling of daungers by the children of God and the troubles and fearesulnesse of the vnbeleeuers True it is that sometimes the faythfull shall see the sworde and be afrayde of it but their feare bringeth them to that which I touched afore that is too witte God putteth them in mynde too humble themselues and afterwarde draweth them home to himselfe and giueth them the rest whereof they were destitute for a tyme to their profite And thus ye see what we haue to remember in this sentence of Eliphassis And when we once haue the knowledge of these things then wee may well apply the doctrine to oure instruction and soulehealth As how For first of all we see what the state of man is Ye see here a liuely picture wherein our Lord sheweth vs that while wee bee in this world we must bee put in feare and not alwayes haue rest but sometimes be disquieted Verie well yet for all that euerie man go 〈…〉 th astray euerie man shrinkes away from God and the mischiefe increseth and groweth dubble and therefore it behooueth the terrours too increase also and to become much more terrible that they may daunt vs VVhy so VVee haue made warre against God and it is good reason that he should do as much to vs yea and that al creatures should be armed against vs This done For as much as we see the disease wee must come to the remedie of it which is to acknowledge that our God wil not forsake vs and that he tarrieth not till we come to seeke him but preuenteth vs of his goodnesse and sheweth vs that if we call vpon him we may well put our life into his handes and he will be a good and faythfull keeper of it VVhen we knowe this once then shall wee see that God doth vs much more good in maynteining vs and in taking vpon him the charge and office of preseruing vs than if he exempted vs from all daungers Put the cace that men were in this worlde as in an earthly Paradise so as nothing might trouble them They should not bee so happie as when in the middes of many afflictions and troubles they finde that God commeth downe that is to say abaseth himself so low as to thinke vpon them and to watch for the preuenting of inconueniences and for the beating backe of all daungers that might befall them and putteth himselfe betweene them and their harmes to the intent they should not be ouermated and troubled out of measure ▪ Furthermore let vs vnderstand that if God doe nowe and then leaue vs and withdrawe himselfe from vs and hide himselfe in such wise as we perceiue not his succoure nor can be assured of his protection we must not be dismayde for all that but pray him to voutsafe to shew vs his countenance that we may see it for our more assurance according as we see howe Dauid speaketh Lorde sayth he make thy countenance to shine vpon vs and it will be much better for vs than if we had abundance of all kynde of goods VVhen Dauid sawe himselfe at suche an afterdeale and it seemed that God had giuen Sathan and the wicked men brydle yea and that he was troubled also in his mynde so as there came no more help to him from aboue Lorde sayth hee I desire no more but that thou make thy countenance to shine vpon vs that is to say that thou giue me but some little tast of thy goodnesse to knowe that thou hast receyued me Thus yee see howe it behoueth vs too desire God too put away the grosse and thicke cloudes that hinder vs to perceyue the loue that he beareth towardes vs Furthermore when wee see the wicked in such trouble and vnquietnesse let the same bee a brydle vnto vs For we must profite our selues by Gods vengeances when wee see them a farre off vpon the wicked VVe must not tarie till God bende himselfe against vs and til he rap vs hard vpon the pates No no ▪ but if hee spare vs and in the meane while we see he punisheth those that haue despised him and shaken off his yoke Let the same serue too holde vs in awe and warinesse so as wee may say Alas we see heere these wretched caytifes that haue aduaunced themselues in pride and presumptuousnesse against God what paiment haue they we see they need no hangman to torment them VVhy who is he that tormenteth them It is god that persecuteth thē after that sort Then let this wake vs and holde vs back that we cast not our selues out of our boundes Besides this let vs also be so much the more giuen too the seeking of this peace which is an inestimable benefit and treasure let vs hunt after it so much the more busily calling to remembrance what S. Paul saith The peace of god saith hee which passeth all vnderstāding of mā kepe your harts minds that is to say when we be once sure of this protection of God that wee can resort vntoo him not doubting but that hee receyueth vs as his owne children he saith that that maner of peace surmoūteth all vnderstāding of man VVherby he doth vs to witte that wee comprehende it not except God giue it vs by his holy spirit as in verie deede he must bee faine to worke in vs to make vs come too that poynt And by the way we haue to marke howe that for a conclusion it is sayd that the noise of feare shall alwayes sounde in the eares of the wicked and of the despisers of God and that when they be in most quiet the extorcioner shall fall vpon them Heere Eliphas speaketh twoo things The one is that when the wicked are in their prosperitie sodain destruction shal fal vpō them like a storme that they perceyued not insomuch as it is said of thē that when they say peace all is sure and when they oueruaunt thēselues agaynst God laughing all his threatnings to scorne euen then will it come too passe that God shall ouerthrow them when they mistrust it least True it is that the scripture must needes bee fulfilled which is that the wicked shall feele the thing that he is afrayde of But contrariwise also God will sende them that which they feared not to roote them suddainly out of the lande Ye see then howe Eliphassis meening is that euen in the middes of peace pilling and polling shall light vpon the despisers of God But the cheefest thing is the said sound of fearefulnesse whiche shall alwayes afright them and holde them as it were
in our harts to bee as they be saying And why am not I suche a one Beholde yonder naughtypacke is at his ease and in the meane while I am put behind the doore I see he settes his foote vpon my throte and why haue I no meanes to be reuenged of him See howe oure afflictions chafe vs withoute measure as soone as we see the wicked prosper But contrariwise oure Lorde sayeth to vs VVell Sirs it is true that yee may after a sorte bee tempted by beholding this goodly shewe for mens lustes are suddeyne and headie But what for that yee see howe a vine is stripped of his vnripe grapes when it is new burieoned there needeth but one froste to kill them Or if the grapes bee growne to bee full fashioned beholde there falleth a storme that sweepes them all awaye so as there remayneth nother grape nor leafe but the vine is left all bare Also looke me vpon an Oliue tree wherein is the beautie of it Is it not in his floures And yet notwithstanding if the floures be frostbitten or if any tempeste light vpon them all is caste down Euen so is it with the felicitie of the wicked Truly too the seeming of poore ignorant folke their prosperitie shall bee suche as nothing may seeme more desirable than to be in theyr cace but anone both their floure and their frute fade away before they bee rype God will plucke away all before it come too perfection according as I tolde you that they shall not come to so much perfectiō as to shoote out any floures or frute that shall not be taken away before it come to be seasonable Thus yee see in effect what is shewed vs heere And as I sayde afore it serueth too confirme the matter that hathe beene discoursed already Then let vs learne hereby not to desire the felicitie that lasteth not past a day or avery little time But lette vs learne to bee throughly happy as our Lorde would haue vs to be which is to bee well settled in him and to assure our selues that if we bee blissed of God the same shall make vs too prosper not onely for a daye or twayne but also bothe in life and deathe True it is that muche aduersitie may befall vs in the meane whyle but what a priuiledge haue we whē we may betake our selues vnto God and in that we know he will not lay more vpō vs than we be able to beare specially that he will turne all our aduersities to oure welfare and saluation Seeyng then that we haue this prerogatiue haue wee not wherewith to bee contented Although the wicked be at theyr ease for the present time what certeintie haue they for the time to come Although they aduaunce thēselues thinke that God is not able to shake them as it is sayde in the Psalme yet haue they stings within For God woundeth and pricketh them or else tosseth them from syde to side in suche stormes as they be not able to auoyde So then let vs marke that if we desire to be in Gods fauour and to haue a continuing prosperitie we must be grounded in him and then can we neuer quayle VVee knowe what is sayde in another sentence of a Psalme where the wicked are spoken of namely that they bee like greate trees whiche men stub vp so as there remayneth no printe of them but they are plucked vp by the roote But on the contrary parte we must as Dauid sayeth bee like an Olife in the house of the Lorde whiche florisheth alwaies Also this similitude is takē after the same sort both in the firste Psalme and in Ieremie where it is mente that if we trust in God and runne vnto him and hang vpō him we shall bee like a tree that is planted by the water or riuers side so as wee shall alwaies haue good sappe to florish bring foorth frute Now seeing it is so that God hauing drawen vs from the corruptions vayne alluremēts of this world offereth vs also this euerlasting happinesse must we not needs be out of our wits if we go not to it Then let vs bethinke vs well learne to bereeue our selues of all the lusts of our flesh which serue for nothing but to deceiue vs yea and to leade vs to destruction and learne to know where our welfare lyeth Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in minde But alas it is a hard thing as I sayde afore VVe be straitewayes drawen to that which hath a fayre shew and therefore it standeth vs on hande too marke well the similitudes that Eliphas bringeth heere VVe see an Olife tree that looketh faire but it is not of any continuaunce And lette vs also haue an eye too the Storme that is at hande vpon the wicked For God holdeth them at that poynte too beate them downe And althoughe wee perceyue it not at the firste dashe yet if wee looke at Gods iustice with the eyesight of faith wee shall see that all they which are not rooted in God cannot come too full ripenesse nor neuer bring foorth good frute but shall soone come too plucking vp And why For God hath sayde it VVee shall see them drowned in their owne pride And why For Gods word cannot lye So then as ofte as we bee moued by our sensualitie and foolishe imaginations let vs retyre to Gods woorde and looke for that whiche wee sawe not afore specially for the thing that is hydden that we may know it and thervpon turne away from all the vayne conceites that deceyue vs Lo what wee haue to beare away in this streyne And in the ende it is sayde that the householde of the wicked shall be desolate and fyre shall consume the house of Brybes Vnder this terme Hypocrite according too the sense of it in other textes also Eliphas comprehendeth all suche as haue frowarde and disloyall hartes to Godwarde who sayeth hee muste perishe yea euen with all their house and retinue And afterwarde he addeth that the house of Brybes shall be consumed VVhereas he speaketh of the companie of Hypocrites it is to expresse the better that althoughe the wicked haue greate traynes and greate and long tayles yet for all that they shall not misse to bee consumed Then shall yee see farre wickedder men than the common simple sort are and they shall carrye greate companies and bandes after them whiche make a greate shewe they shall haue their alliances and assemblies and so drawe long traynes after them But Eliphas sayeth expresly that suche assemblies shall come to nought meening too shewe howe it is true that the wicked mainteyne themselues for a time by those alliances and that they fortifie themselues of purpose to mainteine their state in somuche that euery one of them thinketh himselfe strong ynough to beare out all bruntes But the wrath of God is kindled to burne them vp all Yea and wee see howe the Prophete speaketh of them when hee likeneth them too faggots of thornes If
compare our miseries with Iobs For if wee consider well the afflictions that he indured they bee so straunge as hee myght well say I know not how I may take them for â–ª God oppresseth mee ouersore And for proofe hereof if God touche vs but with his little finger wee bee so tender that by and by we are angrie and fall to saying Howe goes this geere If God sende vs any common disease we beare our selues in hande that hee ought rather to haue spared vs If hee afflict vs in any wise that wyll make vs to storme To bee shorte lette him giue vs but one lashe with his rodde and wee will saye hee hath thundred vpon vs Seeing we be so impacient let vs consider what Iob indured and what woulde become of vs if we shoulde come to the same poynt VVoulde he do no more but cast vp some skumme and asswage againe No. It were the nexte way too sette vs quite ouer oure shoes sith wee bee so inclined therevnto vppon euery small occasion So muche the more therefore behooueth it vs to knowe that wee haue not profited in Gods schoole tyll wee haue learned too take paciently all corrections that he sendeth vs seeing that they tend to our welfare Thus yee see what wee had more too note vpon this sentence Howbeeit among other things lette vs marke that it is a harde and verye daungerous temptation when God heareth not our cryes and complayntes And why For it is sayde that Gods name is as a strong and sure hold for all suche as flee vnto it VVhosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued Yea and although that heauen and earth were medled togither and the whole order of nature confounded yet shoulde we still be preserued by calling vppon the name of God as â—oel sayeth God hath promised that he will heare vs before we opeÌ„ our mouth and reach out his hande to helpe vs before we speake Ye see then that God sheweth himselfe so bountifull as yea would maruell assuring vs that he will succour our necessitie and yet for all that when we shall haue called vpon him more than once or twice and when wee shall haue persisted in praying him to haue pitie vpon vs wee shall continue still in one state and whiche woorse is it shall seeme too vs that God sharpeneth himselfe agaynste vs to torment vs the more when we haue called vpon him And what a temptation is that It is sayde to mee that the name of God is my refuge and that God is neere vnto all them that call vppon him faithfully I haue assayed what those promises meane I feele no coÌ„moditie by them but rather my miserie is increased the more And what a thing is that Yet notwithstanding Iob came too that poynte and not Iob onely but also Dauid and the reste of the faythfull And specially it behoueth the same thing too bee fulfilled in oure Lorde Iesus Christe according also as it is he on whome this sentence is veryfied namely I crye vntoo thee daye and nyght and yet thou easest mee not of my miseries Thou seemest too haue forsaken mee when oure fathers resorted too thee they alwayes perceyued that it was not in vayne but thou puttest mee heere too confusion But hereby wee note that although God haue promised too bee neere vntoo all them that call vppon him and too succoure them before they open theyr mouthes too desire him yet dooth not that importe that hee sheweth it alwayes to the eye How then After hys owne manner It is certaine that before wee call vppon God hee is willing and readie too helpe vs And for proofe heereof whence commeth the affection of praying Commeth it not of the holie Ghoste For a man woulde neuer of his owne minde resort vnto god Then it is bycause God looketh vnto vs with pity when we thinke he hath turned his back vpon vs Agayne if we haue stoode vp any tyme it muste needes bee that it was through the power whiche hee gaue vs and that his succouring of vs with his hande made vs to bee pacient and lowly in our aduersities And true it is that we may haue suche a conceyte as it maye seeme too vs for a tyme that God hath gyuen no eare too vs VVee see howe it was so with Iob and with Dauid yea and that Iesus Christe also was fayne too come to that poynte not that hee was tempted after our maner that is to say with impacience but yet notwithstanding bicause hee had to fight agaynste his owne humaine nature hee was fayne too suffer anguishe of minde And forasmuche as God had lefte him destitute of all helpe hee was inforced too crie out My God my God why haste thou forsaken mee Therefore when wee haue suche temptations and are greeued by reason of the infirmities and greate store of vices that are in vs according as wee are full of distruste stubbornnesse pryde and other like things let vs haue recourse vnto this poynte that we bee not the firste whome God hath minded too succoure and haue in the ende felte the profyte of theyr prayers notwithstanding that they languyshed vnder his hande for a tyme So then let vs hold oute and suffer God to keepe vs in languyshing as long as it pleaseth him euen tyll hee haue delyuered vs and shewed himselfe oure Sauioure too the full according as hee hath gyuen vs some taste of it already in this worlde Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with the acknowledgemeÌ„t of our sines praying him so to clenze vs of them as there may be nothing in vs to hinder vs from comming right foorth vnto him and that in our comming wee may finde him ready too receyue vs for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake And so let vs all saye Almighty God our heauenly father c. The .lxx. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xix. Chapter This Sermon conteyneth the exposition of the. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. verses that haue bene touched alreadie and then vpon the texte that followeth heere 13 Hee hath made my brethren too shrinke avvaye from mee and myne acquayntance become straungers to mee 14 My neighbours haue forsaken mee and my father and my mother haue forgotten mee 15 Mine ovvne housholde and my may deseruantes haue disdeyned mee and I haue beene as a straunger in theyr sight 16 If I call my seruant hee ansvvereth mee not though I pray him vvith mine ovvne mouth IT behoueth vs to go through with the matter that we beganne in the last Sermon whiche is that it is a harde and burdensome temptation wheÌ„ our prayers be not heard at the firste For verely the onely thing that remayneth for vs when we be in aduersitie is that God receiue vs if we desire him that hee haue pitie vpon vs and that wee maye feele that our resorting to hâ— for succour hath not beene in vayne Thus say I is the welfare and comforte of all the faithfull
life nor our welfare by that which we behold may be discerned by eye sight or by our motherwitte but let vs vnderstande that God intendeth to preserue vs by a meane whiche wee are not able to cōprehend Our life sayth S. Paule is hidden with our Lord Iesus Christ And therfore let vs waite vpō that good God pray him to giue vs the grace to looke alwaies vnto him till the time come that he discouer that which is nowe vnknowen For it behoueth vs to bee like dead men vntill such time as God quicken vs VVe may well feele here beneath some tast of his grace hee may well giue vs experience of it but yet if we feele it not at times wee muste pray him to waken vs and too make vs know the loue that he beareth vs And although we haue not paste one drop of Gods grace yet muste wee call too minde what S. Paule sayth to the Romanes that if Gods spirite liue in vs although there be but a very little portion of it yet is it sufficient to put away all that euer is in vs of oure owne wicked nature VVell then it is true that we shall not alwaies feele it nother shall we perceyue the working of Gods spirite when it is in vs but let vs pray God that he suffer not such dulnesse blockishnesse to dwell alwayes in vs as we shoulde not feele his grace to apply it to such vse as he would haue vs to profite our selues by it Lo what we haue to marke in the secōd place vpon this streyne Now Iob sayth afterward that God hath inflamed his wrath against him is become his enimie True it is that as oft as God scourgeth vs the holy scripture sayth that he is angry with vs Not that he is subiect to our passions nother is it for that hee casteth vs away or that hee hateth vs in deede VVhat then It is bicause he makes vs feele his displeasure by our afflictions VVhy so For afflictiōs are Gods chastizemēts which he sendeth vnto mē for their sinnes True it is as I haue sayd alredy that somtimes he chastizeth his seruantes for some other purpose But yet must we alwayes firste call to minde that we bee sinners and detters vnto God and therefore that hee punisheth the sinnes which wee haue committed Howbeeit there is in Iobs saying a particular consideration beyonde the ordinarie woont He complayneth that Gods anger was kindled agaynst him And ought that too be any noueltie For throughout all the holy scripture God declareth and auoweth himselfe too bee angrie with those whome hee chaziseth Yea but Iob intended to expresse more that this wrath of God is not a common and accustomed wrath as though God counted him for an vtter castaway For like as generally God will haue vs to feele his anger when hee punisheth vs and too enter into the knowledge of our owne sinnes so also will he haue vs to knowe that the same wrath of his lasteth but for a while and that it passeth and fadeth away as it is said in the Prophete Esay It is but for the turning of a hande that I will make thee feele my displeasure but my mercie I wil make thee feele from generation to generation it shall indure towardes thee euerlastingly Ye see then that euen in the middes of afflictions it behoueth vs on the one side too know that God is angrie bycause wee haue offended him with our sinnes and on the other side not too doubt but that he loueth vs and is desirous to be at one with vs But Iob declareth here that God hilde him as his enimie that is to say that this anger is not Gods ordinarie anger as when he sheweth himselfe angry with sinners and giueth them some token of his vengeance but that hee was excessiue This is the sense of that saying Nowe what woulde become of vs if we were in the same cace as hee was For without comfort as I haue declared afore it were impossible for vs to be pacient It coulde not be but we should needes rebell agaynst God if we knew not his goodnesse To the ende thou mayest be feared sayth Dauid thou Lord art louing Then if men cannot find in their harts to beleeue that God will be pitifull towards them much lesse will they humble themselues nay rather they will grinde their teethe againste him Nowe it may seeme that Iob was not comforted but that he beleeued that god would destroy him and that hee had vtterly throwne him down alreadie In what plight might he be then As I haue shewed heeretofore he declareth here his former pangs wherein he passed measure howbeeit that hee withstood them in the ende Now when we see this what shift haue we but to pray God that hee will in such wise ingraue in our hartes the promise that hee hath made too his whole Church as it may neuer escape vs The sayde promise is this That whensoeuer we shall haue sinned and whensoeuer we shall haue swarued from his commaundements he will chastize vs but that shall be with the rod of man that is to say he will chastize vs gently and after a mylde fashion and his mercy shal neuer be withdrawne from vs according also as he sayth in another text of his Prophete Abacucke Sith it is so let vs sayth he pray him that in all our afflictions he suffer vs not to surmise that hee taketh vs for his enimies but that we may vnderstād that we deserue well to haue warre at his hand and to find him to be our mortall enimie bicause wee haue prouoked him and yet notwithstanding that he ceasseth not to be our father but will go forward with his goodnesse towards vs howe much soeuer we haue deserued the contrarie And herewithall although wee bee tempted after that maner too thinke that God taketh vs for his enimies yet let vs not ceasse too fight still agaynst it saying beholde I am sure that if I looke vpon mine owne state it may well seeme that God holdeth mee for his enimy that hee hath as it were razed me out of the number of his seruants and that he will no more thinke vpon me to succour mee but yet for all this I will do him so much honour as to rest vppon him and too haue none other recourse but too hym Thus ye see howe we haue to withstande the temptation wherewith Iob was sore layd at albeeit that he were not vtterly ouercome of it Nowe he addeth immediately for the annie of God is come and his handes are incamped round about my house Hee termeth all the aduersities that he indured by the name of Gods armie or souldiers This similitude namely that all the aduersities whereto we bee subiect are Gods scourges darts errowes swords and to bee short men of warre that haue vs in the chace hathe bin seene heeretofore in another sentence And it is right necessarie to be knowne For although wee confesse it
then holde your beeing of mee and if you do me homage and know mee for your creator you will tremble vnder mee Nowe when he hath thus spoken hee sayeth farther I am thy God to shew that he is a father of his people and of all those whom he will instruct by his worde And this fatherhoode ought as I haue sayde to bring vs to a louing reuerence And then thirdly hee rehearseth the benefites by the which he had made his people bounden vnto him VVell nowe there are greater and more excellent benefites bestowed vpon vs for he hath not drawen vs from an earthly bondage but from the depth of hell and that not by Moyses but by our Lorde Iesus Christ Seeing it is so we see how wee be by all meanes bounden vnto him And therefore it is not meete that henceforth we shoulde be any more addicted to our selues but euery mā should bee readie wholly to dedicate himselfe too the seruice of god And concerning this that Iob addeth moreouer it is certaine if wee knowe what is taught vs in the holye Scripture we will not say any more what profite is there in praying vnto him Our Lorde might well say vnto vs serue mee do that which I commaunde you without setting forth vnto vs any hyre or reward for we are bounden vnto him as we are taught when you haue done all that shall bee commaunded you yet are you vnprofitable seruants that is to say God shall neuer bee in our dette but we are bounden to giue our selues wholly vnto him God mighte then simplie cōmaunde without adding any promisse and yet he doth apply himselfe vnto vs and seing wee coulde not bee brought to serue him vnlesse hee made vs some promisse when he sayeth serue me he addeth and I will bee your father I will bee the defender of your life I will ayde you in all your necessities And beside this he is not content with all these promises for in deede they should not auayle vs vnlesse he went farther which thing hee doth when hee sayeth I will forgiue you your sinnes I will receyue you to me in mercie I wil blot out all your iniquities and afterward I will vphold you and although you be frayle and serue mee not altogither as you ought too doo yet wyll I take well in woorth this halfe seruice that you doo mee for I am youre father I will not straightly examine your doings Thus many promises then doth God make vs to bind vs vnto him hereby it is seene that wee haue none excuse to say what profite is it to serue God for though wee flee from him yet can wee not bee without a mayster They that will walke at randon and as they say with the bridle let loose spite of their teethe they shall serue but it shall bee their owne lustes and the Diuell The heathen men coulde say that the moste miserable seruice and straightest bondage that is amongst men is to bee subiecte to their owne vices lothus haue the Heathen men themselues spoken of these diuelishe mistresses the lustes Is it not then more than shame for vs beeing taught by the woorde of God that we will be halfe Kings haue suche an vnbrideled libertie as there can be nothing more vnruly than euen to do what we list Now it is certaine as I haue sayde that wee coulde be in no more miserable and cursed bondage And beside that the Diuel hath the whole rule ouer vs so that wee can not escape his subiection when wee will bee exempted from rightuousnesse And this is it that S. Paule meaneth when hee sayeth in the. 6. to the Romanes you were freed onely from rightuousnesse Hee vseth this similitude of bondmen who in times paste were franchysed that they might bee no more subiect to their maisters but bee of a franke and free state and condition And so sayeth he when men had not Iesus Christ they were freed so as they had libertie too doo euill and were not subiecte too the rightuousnesse of God but what then were you therefore in true libertie Nay cleane contrary sayth he you serued sinne whiles you tooke no hold vppon the rightuousnesse of god And now in what cace are you he directeth his talke to the faithfull sayeth you are ashamed when you thinke vpon your life that is passed now you know that the Diuell had rule ouer you and that it was too youre ruine and destruction You are ashamed in your selues when you call too remembrance that you were so forsaken of God and wandred lyke brute beastes Such is the state and condition of all those that exempt themselues from the seruice of god On the contrarie part when we serue our God it is certaine that that seruice is more honorable thā to enioy a kingdome as heere before hath bene declared God doth not call vs to the ende that we should bee in the state and condition of seruants but to take vs for his owne children Seeing then it is so wee see very well that it is no loste labour to gyue our selues to the seruice of God neyther must wee any more alledge and say what profit shall we get thereby seeing that our Lorde and maister doth tell vs that al oure blissednesse is too walke in his feare And contrariwise there can no greater misfortune happē vnto vs than to exempt oure selues from his seruice Thus much then we haue to note Furthermore lette vs extende this same farther as Iob also doth for he meaneth that the wicked when they are in prosperitie gyue themselues too sporte and play and thinke that it is all one too liue well or ill and making a mocke at God thinke that he fauoreth thē if at the firste stroke hee do not throwe them downe And howe VVhen God spareth the wicked that passe theyr bounds in their wicked doings therevpon they become harde harted And why they thinke that all goeth well with them when they doo not perceyue Gods plagues they beginne to despise to rebell sayth Salomon you see then how the wicked thinke that there is no profit in seruing of God that it is much better for them to gyue themselues to euill when God at the first doth not execute his iudgements Now on the contrary part we must thus conclude in our selues as the prophet Esay speaketh of it say yee surely it shall go well with the rightuous Therefore when wee see a confusion of all things in this worlde and it seemeth vnto vs but a mockerie too serue God yet muste we still continue in this sure perswasion that our Lorde and mayster will disappoynte them that wayte vppon him and that they haue not bene led with a vayne hope in looking for a reward at his hand but that they may say with Dauid the Lorde is my reward as also he sayeth vnto Abraham Abraham walke before mee for I am thine exceeding greate rewarde Thus must we fight against this temptation which is very cōmon namely that
expedient for vs according also as when hee commeth neere vnto vs is it for that he is afrayde or for that hee seeketh any profite by vs No it is nothing so but he knoweth that wee haue neede too bee kept in obedience and awe For that is the cheefe thing that he requireth of vs and that is the sea of all vertue that bringeth vs to saluation Therfore it behoueth vs to be rightly subiect vnto god For if he hild not his maiestie ouer vs and shewed vs not what wee bee and what our state is and hilde vs not vnder his feete what would become of vs considering the pride and malapertnesse that are in vs all God then in not shewing vs the reason of his works doth it to the end we should lerne to obey him Againe if we see not why he doth this or that how shall we comprehend his being we be sure as I sayd that if he trie vs it is for our welfare And in good sooth which of vs trieth himself Nay contrarywise in steede of lighting a candle to serch our owne wants and sinnes we quench the cresset that God hath lighted too our hande VVhat else is the discretion that hee hath giuen vs to discerne betwene good euill but as it were a candle which he hath lighted to the end we might perceyue the naughtinesse that is in our selues But we see how men labor to quench all the sayd knowledge and would faine suppresse their owne consciences that they might liue like swine bee no more ashamed nor abashed at the euill which they commit Men then go about to become brute beastes and so we see that they indeuer to quench the lamp or candle that God had lighted in them to draw them them to this triall Seeing it is so it is good reason that God shoulde search and trie vs bycause wee will not do it our selues as our dutie were to do but by our good willes woulde become like brute beasts and dispatch our selues of al discretion and reason Thus ye see that the thing which we haue to marke in this text is that forsomuch as God knoweth our wayes and woorkes aforehand it behoueth vs to conclude that if hee make vs too passe as Gold through the furnace the same is for our profite and welfare And although we perceyue not the reason of it we ought to be contented that our Lorde is rightuous and that hee will in the ende shew vs whersore he hath tryed vs after that maner in making vs too passe through so many afflictions as gold passeth through fire Although then that this be greeuous to beare yet God doth it not without cause VVe perceyue it not as yet bycause our wit is too weake Howbeit our Lord will in time make vs perceyue that he wrought not at all aduenture but that he knew what was meete for our welfare This is in effect the thing whiche we haue to beare away heere Nowe when Iob hath sayde so he addeth this protestation That his foote bad walked in Gods path and that hee bad not left his way nor turned asyde from the commaundement of Gods owne mouth but bad set more store by it than by his owne liuing or manner of dealing True it is that Iob might well protest that hee had walked so vprightly as that he was not of the number of the dispisers of God nor of the number of looce liuers that were giuen to all naughtinesse Iob might well say so for it was true according also as wee see that Dauid might well say Lorde I haue kept thy commaundementes with my whole hart Lorde I haue set more store by thy lawe than by gold and siluer all my delight hath bin in them I haue not weltred in my wicked affections but all my pleasure hath bin in the hearing of thy lawe VVhen Dauid speaketh after that maner is it too boast himselfe before God No for in another place he sayth Lorde who is able to stand before thee If thou enter into account with men no creature can bee iustified Therefore enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lorde For who is he O Lord that shall stand vp if thou marke all our faultes VVe see then that Dauid dooth willingly yeeld himselfe guiltie and that whereas he protesteth himselfe too haue followed Gods commaundements it is al one as if he acknowledged the gracious giftes that heé had receyued at his hand did him homage for them saying thus Lord thou hast done me exceeding great good thou haste gouerned me by thy holy spirite my following of thy commaundements came not of my selfe but thy guiding of me caused me to giue my selfe therevnto Dauid by yeelding such honour vntoo God confirmed himselfe more and more in good hope assuring himselfe that as hee had felt God good and gracious too him heeretofore so hee would neuer sayle him heereafter If Iob had proceeded after that maner his protestation had bin good and holy But what his meening heere is to go to lawe with God and to vphold that if God handled him after the ordinarie rule of his lawe hee shoulde haue no cause to vse such rigour towardes him Iob is grossely ouerseene in this behalfe For if God had iisted to haue punished him for the sinnes that hee had committed he might iustly haue done it and in that he doth it not it is of his meere free goodnesse Iob therefore dooth not discerne aright betweene God and his own person For he should haue sayd Lord it is true that thou chastizest me and I know and thou migh test do it euen by thy law ▪ and it is true also that I haue indeuered too walke before thee in as great soundnesse as was possible for mee to do Neuerthelesse there hath alwayes bin somewhat amisse and therefore thou shalt find all my workes to be sinsull Iob might haue spoken so and sayd well Lorde I knowe well thou bearest with me and that proceedeth of thy fatherly goodnesse And although thou chastize me yet thou makest mee too perceyue that thou doest it not for my sinnes but bycause it pleaseth thee too exercise my pacience Neuerthelater in the meane whyle I feele my selfe combered extreemely and therefore I muste conclude that thou doest it vpon some secrete and wonderfull purpose If Iob had spoken so all had bin well But he was caried away by the pangs of hys passions And thereby we are all warned as I say de afore to mistrust our selues when we be afflicted For we be as ye would say so dazeled as wee cannot discerne what is good And if this thing befell vnto Iob who is setheere before our eyes as a myrrour of pacience what will become of vs Therefore when wee bee afflicted lette vs pray God so to hold vs in awe as we may glorifie him and that if any toyes come in our heades too grudge agaynst him they may be beaten downe knowing that we cannot speake one word of our selues but the
would fayne glorifie him in all his workes if he thinke it possible to know all surely he dishonoreth god Can we do God a greater dishonour than to go about to incloze his mighty power within the capacitie of our witte It is more than if a man would take vpon him to shet vp both sea and land in his owne fist or to hold them betwene a cupple of his fingers surely it is a greater madnesse For the heauen the earth are not so great things as the Iustice power wisdome and goodnesse of god they be but little marks of them So then although men bee neuer so diligent in searching gods works yet if they think themselues so sharpwitted as to attayne to them or so self wise as to say I know as much as is too bee knowne and I see now perfectly how good and wise God is beholde there is shamefull wrong offered him VVherfore let vs marke well that the chief poynt whiche wee ought too beare in mind in considering Gods works is to bethink vs of our owne weaknesse and to know that our own wit is to feeble to mount so high so as we must be fayne to confesse with Dauid wonderfull are thy woorkes ô Lorde and who can recken them vppe vntoo thee True it is that Dauid reckeneth them well instructing others to thinke well vpon it Howbeit after he hath sayd what he can hee addeth in the end Lord who is it that caÌ„ atteyn to them Euen so is it sayd now in this streyne Behold the Owtleets sayeth Iob these sayth hee are but the suburbes For if we will enter into the hart of Gods works we shall neuer atteyne to it VVee bee to slow and to lumpish to mount vp so high VVee bee not so lythe as too retch out ourselues so farre and wide nother haue we such a liuelinesse in vs but that all our wits must bee fayne too bee â–ª ouerwhelmed So then when we haue applyed all our indeuer throughly too know Gods works howe excellent they be if we atteyn not to the perfection of that knowledge let vs remember ourselues that we haue found but only the Owtleets that it is impossible for vs to come to the depth of them For our capacitie will not serue vs therto VVee bee to grosse and weake and there is but a small peece of that in vs which is in him insomuche that if the Angels of heauen came and preached vntoo vs yet could they shew vs but a small part of gods woorks And what shall mortal creatures then do here bylow Sith it is so let vs lerne to magnify God in suche wise as nothing may let vs to yeeld him his due prayse For although wee should all the time of our life imploy our whole wit too the glorifying and magnifying of him yet were it impossible to discharge our selues of the hundreth parte of the the dutie that we owe vnto him Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them that with harâ—ie repentance and desire of forgiuenesse wee may beseeche him too amend our misdooings and too ridde vs more and more of our vyces too the ende that whyle wee liue in this worlde wee may inioy the great good that he doeth vs in applying the same to right vse namely too the seruing and honoring of him in such wise as wee may not haue our eyes shet when he sheweth his maiestie after so euident a fashion And forasmuch as we be as it were dazeled in our owne vnderstanding let vs beseeche him too inlighten vs by his holie spirit and too waken vs from theâ— drouzinesse wherein wee bee that wee maye not seeke any thing else than to spende our selues in his seruice and to incorage others thereto by our example so as hee may bee exalted and magnified of all men with one common consent as he deserueth And for performance thereof let vs pray him to rayse vp true and faythfull ministers of his woord c. The .xcvij. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxvij. Chapter IOb tooke vp his parable agayne and sayd 2. God liueth who hath taken away my right the almightie vvho hath set my soule in bitternes 3. So long as my breath shall continue and the spirit of God is in my nozethrills 4. My lippes shall speake no vvickednesse and my toung shall vtter no deceyte HEere we haue still the same matter that hathe bene treated of heretofore For Iob vpholdeth that he was not afflicted for the faults which he had committed but that there was some secrete reason and that if he listed to debate pleade the matter he could iustifie his cace not agaynst god but agaynst such as woulde beare him downe that hee was a wicked man and conclude that the afflictions whiche he indured were bycause of the greatnesse of his sinnes Iob then vpholdeth that the cause which moued God to punish him was not that he was wickedder than other men but for some secret and vnknowne reason too men and therfore that it behoucth them to mount higher than to to the ordinarie iustice of God that is shewed in his law Now wee see what the ground woorke of this chapter is And therfore it is sayd that Iob tooke vp his parable newe agayne And to the intent that the thing whiche he sayeth may be of the more authoritie he beginneth with a protestation that importeth an othe God sayeth he liueth who hath taken away my right euen the Almighty hathe set my soule in anguish and yet for al that I wil neuer swarue And whereas I haue maynteyned my selfe too bee rightuouse that was not through any pryde nor for any hypocrisie nor of any sturdinesse nor for that I knewe not that God myght afflict mee after that sorte but bycause I am not suche a one as you make mee too bee nother will I euer graunt that Gods punishing of mee is for my desertes at leastwyse if I bee compared with other men For you pretende a false and wicked thing which is that God handleth men in this worlde and in this present lyfe according too their woorthinesse and deseruinges But it is not so for God doeth oftentymes deferre the punishments which he intendeth too lay vppon men so as they bee not perceyued till after their death And on the contrarie part diuers tymes hee pretendeth signes of greate rigour agaynst those whome he loueth whiche haue serued him faythfully Therfore we must not make too much haste of Gods iudgements nor think them to be executed at the firste brunt for then shoulde God bee vniuste VVee see thinges disordered at this present and what a thing were it if wee looked and hoped not for a redresse hereafter in tyme too come God were woorse than blind For we haue skill ynough too say that things go not as they ought too doe Then doeth it followe that eyther God knoweth not what he
Psalme sayeth that he fell asleepe since the time that God had settled him in the kingdome and made him to prosper and giuen him the vpper hand of all his enemies and that therevpon he made his reckening neuer to remoue from that state But sayeth hee Lorde thou hast well taught me by experience that the only fauor of thy good will aduaunced me after that maner For as soone as I felt thy hand behold I was in such plight that I was vtterly at my wits end Dauid then sheweth that euen the children of God althoughe they bee not puffed vp with pride that is in the vnbeleuers do so◠themselues in their good fortune as they terme it and are notwithstanding not able to stay frō promising thēselues more than is needefull For they imagine that their good dayes shall last for euer and that their prosperitie shall neuer fayle Sith we are inclined to suche vice insomuche that euen Dauid was not altogither clere of it what haue we else to do but to take heede to ourselues And in what sort Dauid in marking this vice doth also shew the remedie of it whē he sayth Lord the surenesse and safetie both of me and of my kingdome are grounded vpon thine only goodnesse If we acknowledge that all our welfare dependeth vppon Gods good pleasure wee shall conclude that there is no certaintie nor settlednesse in our selues So then let vs call vpon God and wayte at his hande for whatsoeuer it shall please him to send vs And although wee hope that hee will continue his goodnesse towardes vs yet notwithstanding let vs not ceasse too prepare oure selues whensoeuer it shall please him to meeken vs and to exercise our pacience by aduersitie but let vs alwayes bee in a readinesse for it and not thinke it straunge when it commeth Furthermore letvs marke well howe Dauid sayth that he was troubled And why For it is all one as if he should come vpon a man that is fast asleepe VVill not we then be in like trouble when the hand of God striketh vs Let vs dispose our selues to it aforehand and lette vs preuent all the changes that are to be seene with the eye and which God sheweth vs too the ende that euery of vs should keepe good watch Thus ye see why I say that the doctrine whiche is conteyned heere is very necessary for vs which is that we must not thinke to dye in our nest after the manner of the similitude which Iob vseth heere but must be as birds vppon a bough too remoue at Gods pleasure that when we are inriched wee may be impouerished if he list that when we haue bin in great honour estimation we may come to such reproch and shame as in maneral the whole world may mocke vs if it be his pleasure ▪ and that wee may take all in good woorth and as I sayd be in a readinesse before hand to the end we bee not troubled when our Lord shall visite vs in that maner And we haue speciall neede to be warned heereof bycause the state of Christians is to be chaungeable For S. Paule sayth that both himselfe and his fellowes were without rest He vseth that word not that we ought not to be constant For it behoueth vs to determine with ourselues neuer too swarue But as touching the outward and visible state too the worldward we must be faine to be fleeting and without any rest So then seeing that God hath called vs thervnto Let euery one of vs take heed that he make not hys reckening without his host ne beare himself in hand that he shall continue alwayes in one state And why For hee warranteth himselfe that which he cannot performe Behold heere two things which we haue to marke The one is that what prosperitie soeuer we haue the same is no certayne and abiding state And why For so is the good pleasure of God lyke as if a Prince should gyue a man the possession of some Lordship not in feesimple but to holde of him as Tenant at will. He hath it but from day too day and the Prince may reuoke hys graunt when it pleaseth hym In like cace is it with all the thinges that God giueth vs in thys worlde For the condition of them is not that we should inioy them both in life and deathe but onely when it pleaseth hym according also as hee knoweth what is expedient for vs Lo here the first point The seconde poynt is that we must consider it to be the good will of our God to remoue vs from time to tyme so long as we be in this world And why For if he should suffer vs to settle long surely we would as it were gather rust and drawe muche superfluous baggage to vs God therefore remoueth vs that is too saye hee chaungeth our state ▪ hee afflicteth vs hee maketh vs poore and after he hath lifted vs vp hee casteth vs downe and all is too the ende we shoulde not bee snarled in the goods of thys world nor become so foolish as not to keepe on our way continually to the heauenly life Thus ye see what we haue to beare away in this texte Furthermore let euery of vs inure himselfe too consider the turnings that wee see in this world For our Lorde sheweth vs them to the intent wee shoulde fare the better by them And specially if wee see any thyng that was neuer mistrusted nor looked for afore as if some man were aduaunced to great credit and nothing went against him but he had both wind and weather at will as they say so as hee shall haue gathered great riches and gotten great freends haue alied hymselfe well and gotten infinit stayes if wee see such a one fall bycause God layeth his hand vpon him to beate hym downe ▪ let vs be think ourselues that it behoueth vs then to wake and that God declareth vnto vs that ther is nothing certaine in this world to the ende we should come hide our selues vnder his wings and also dispose our selues to aduersitie whensoeuer it shal please him to send it And if we happen to fall let vs not be too much astonied and dismayde bycause we haue minded it a long time before hande ▪ Verely sometimes God maketh alterations not onely vpon men ▪ but also vpon Cities Countries ▪ and kingdoms VVhen any of these great Courtiers that were had in such reputation as mē thought them to be aduanced aboue the Clowdes are seene to come to decay that is a chaunge ryght great and woonderfull But if you see a Citie a Shire yea or a Reahn ouerthrown as I sayd afore where a man would haue thought there had bin so muche help as it had beene vnpossible too haue come vnto it I say if we see all this ouerthrowne let vs vnderstand that our Lord setteth that looking glasse before our eyes to the end that euery of vs shoulde thinke the better vppon his owne frailtie and not fall asleepe
thus with oure selues how nowe I like not of this it is a blasphemie to thinke that God pitieth not such as call vpon him or that he wil not succour such as seeke him it is all one as if we would denie that he gouerned the worlde Therfore whensoeuer suche things come to our thought surely it is a faulte it behoueth vs to conclude alas Lord wretched creatures are wee and full of vanitie sith we can conceyue so monstruous thoughtes The seconde poynt is that when aduersitie presseth vs and our griefe increaseth more and more wee fall to such murmurings as this Alas shoulde I linger after this sorte if God thought vpon mee woulde he not haue a care to helpe mee he doeth it not but dissembleth and therefore it seemeth that he hath quite gyuen mee vp VVhen we conceyue such thoughts and debate with ourselues whither God hath a care of vs or no then it behoueth vs to consider what a one he hath declared himselfe to be towards vs and to receyue his promises and to ground ourselues vpon them to say no howsoeuer the worlde go yet will I truste in my God and flee to him for refuge Howbeeit although we finally atteyne to this assurance and vndoubtednesse yet notwithstanding if we wauer and doubte before we come therevnto it is a greater fault than the first and we are already guiltie of mistrust vnbeliefe before God bicause we haue receyued so wicked a temptation Lastely commeth the third degree when we be vtterly ouerthrowen and know not what to say but onely after this sort See my miserie hath gotten the vpper hande and God hath forslowed to long to reach me his hand I see I am quite paste hope of recouerie VVhē we be so cast downe as we can no more call vpon God nor take tast of his promises to rest vpon them and to comforte our selues with them that is the third degree of sinne For like as when a childe is full shaped in the mothers wombe there remaineth no more but that it shoulde bee borne so in this cace there wanteth no more but the comming of it into the outwarde deede But now let vs come to Iobs woordes I haue made a league sayeth hee or couenawit with myne eyes I haue tolde you that this is a token of greate perfection And why For if a man can withholde his sight so as hee conceyue not any thing that might drawe him vnto euill by looking about him ▪ and shewe that there is true chastitie and honestie in him It must needes be sayd that he is cleere as an Angel from all corruption And Iobs protesting heereof is not in vayne wherefore let vs consider that hee liued in this worlde as an Angell of god True it is that of nature hee was not so and also wheras he sayeth that he made a couenaunt that was doone after hee had so profited in the feare of God as hee had thruste his vnruly lustes vnder foote and so ouermastered his affections as hee was able to bridle them and keepe them vnder to say I wil not lust any euill too couet it or wishe it I wyll haue no vayne in mee that shall tende to the displeasure of God but I wyll brydle my selfe both in myne eyes and in my mouth and in mine eares Thus yee see in what wise Iob made his couenaunt It was not by hauing suche a soundenesse in his nature for he was a man subiect to affections as we bee and no doubte but hee had many temptations in his lyfe Howbeeit hee walked in suche wise as hee was so inured with the feare of God as not to admit any wicked lustes Thē was it become an habite as men terme it that is to say he was so inured vnto it as he was no more wauering to starte out on the one side or the other or too pouoke himselfe to this or that To be short we see here how Iob mēt to declare that he not only indeuered to serue God but also had inforced himselfe in such wise to it as he had tamed and subdued all the affections of his fleshe insomuch that it was nomore payne to him to serue God bicause he had not the battails which we haue in vs by reason of our frayltie yea by reason of the corruptiō that is in our nature But let vs marke that this came not of his owne power neither could he of himself haue purchaced such perfectiō but it behoued god to reforme him in such wise by his holy spirit as he was after a sort separated frō the cōmon range of men For it is not without cause that Dauid maketh this request vnto God Lorde turne away mine eies that they may see no vanitie If Iob had of himself had the things which he protesteth here no doubt but Dauid might haue obteined such a stedfastnesse as well as he so as he should not haue cōceiued any vanitie nor had his eyes misseled caried away by any menes But forasmuch as Dauid cōfesseth that he neither had it nor could obtayne it but by the meere grace of God it followeth therfore that Iob coulde not through his owne free will make such a couenant as to say that reason beareth suche sway in him as he could ouermaster all his affections but he meeneth here to yeeld God the prayse of that benefit Then doth he not vaunte magnifie himselfe as though he had purchaced such a grace of his owne trauell but hee acknowledgeth that god had so gouerned him as his eye-sight did not prouoke him any more vnto euill Furthermore whē Iob speaketh so let vs marke that on the other side he doth vs to vnderstand that if a man behold a wife or a mayde and thereby be tempted vnto euill it is sinne already before God yea although there be no outwarde acte nor any putting forth of a mans selfe to deflowre or to beguyle the woman nor any will at all to consent in a mans selfe to wish it Then although a man haue not that intent with him but resist the sayd temptation wherewith he is prouoked yet notwithstanding he fayleth not to offend god And there is not a poynt better worthy to bee marked than this Verely wee heare the sentence whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ gyueth vpon it namely that wee must not thinke ourselues to be cleere discharged before God by absteyning frō whoredome in respect of the body but that if a man do but looke vpon a woman with an vnchaste looke he is already condemned for a whoremonger before god And moreouer as I haue sayd alreadie although our will consent not vnto it yet muste wee confesse that we haue done amisse before God so that we must humble ourselues The Papists can wel ynough say that if a man consent vnto euill that is to say if he lust after it in such wise as he woulde fayne do it if occasion serued they graunt that such a consent is a damnable sinne
Christe and that wee bee saued by fayth onely and contrariwise the Pope will haue euery man to be his owne sauiour But yet here is one that was Pope of Rome which neuerthelesse caÌ„ skill to say that it is a renouncing of God an outragious wickednesse for meÌ„ to kisse their hands that is to say to trust to their own works to make them meritorious vertues This doctrine then is good and profitable but yet notwithstanding this text muste be taken more simplie than to concerne Iobs vertues True it is that they are comprehended in it howbeeit as we haue seene afore hee speaketh generally of all the occasions that men take to trust in creatures themselues Therfore he sayth if my mouth haue kisseâ— my â—and that is to say If I haue leaned to mine owne credite or to any thing else or if I haue bene so beastly as too make Idolles of my goods and to honour them for this worde kisse betokeneth to do homage or honour Then if my mouth haue kissed my hande that is too say if I had that vayne selfe truste that I did any homage or honour to my selfe If I haue done so sayeth he let God curse mee For out of doubt that were a renouncing of the liuing God or the Souereyne God. Heere wee haue too marke that the sayde highmindednesse is an intollerable thing before god And this manner of speache of looking vp to the Sunne which Iob vseth is to bee marked well True it is that naturally our countenance looketh vpward and that God would there should be a difference betweene vs and the brute beastes in this behalfe For hee hath giuen the beastes as it were hanging lookes bycause they looke but downewarde too the grounde but man hath his countenance lift vpward bycause hee looketh for a better and excellenter state in heauen And in very deede it is to the intent we shoulde alwayes looke vp alofte too seeke God his heauenlye kingdome but in the meane while this is no let that we shoulde not humble our selues And this also is the cause why Dauid protesteth that hee meddled not with greate matters nor with woonderfull things that were to highe for him This manner of speaking is partly like vnto the similitude that Iob vseth Dauid sayeth Lord thou knowest I haue not walked in greate things How so Is it not lawfull for men too deale with greate matters The state of iustice is honorable and the carrying aboute of Gods woorde is a greate thing also and to bee shorte there is not that man which findeth not some let in his vocation If a man instructe others or if hee take vppon him but to teache children in a schoole eyther of them bothe are creatures fashioned after the image of God and he ought too refourme them And is not that a greate matter If a man haue a whole Countrey to guyde is it not an excellent matter Yes but Dauid speaketh of the puffing vp of the hearte when we woulde aduaunce our selues For we know that he had to deale with matters of great weyght â–ª and therefore hee addeth nor in woonderfull things that are aboue me that is to say I had no desire to deale with the things that passed my capacitie And Iob sayeth here I looked not vp to the Sunne that is to say I did not cast vp my noze nor playe the royster to aduaunce my selfe agaynste God of all the tyme that I was in reputation of the worlde Heereby then wee see as I touched afore that this foolishe luste of men to make themselues esteemed is an intollerable thing before god VVhat is too bee done then It behooueth vs to come to the remedie whiche is lowlinesse Seeyng that God forbiddeth vs to lift vp our countenances on high let vs cast them downe with our owne good will For wee haue sufficient cause so to do If wee looked well vpon our selues we woulde continually practize this prouerbe namely that hee that knoweth himselfe beste will set leaste store by himselfe But forasmuche as we are lothe to knowe ourselues and what our state is It is no wonder though we be so caried away with this foolishe pryde as we coulde finde in our heartes to stie aboue the Clowdes VVherefore lette vs marke that it standeth vs in hande too examine well our owne wantes to the ende wee may bee restreyned to all modestie and be able to protest that wee haue not cast vp our heades but that we haue alwayes looked downward in acknowledging that we haue not whereof to make any boaste Marke that for one poynte Secondly when it is sayde that Iobs hearte was not led away in couert Lette vs beare in minde that humilitie or lowlinesse consisteth not only in the outward apparaÌ„ce towards meÌ„ for we shal see many whiche are meeke and gentle to all outwarde likelihoode and yet in the meane whyle ceasse not too foster a foolishe selfeweening in their heartes and to haue an estimation of themselues VVee see howe all these hypocrites are outwardly framed vnto lowlinesse when notwithstanding they are inwardely so proude as they are ready too bruste with poyson agaynste god And what a thing is that They be humble outwardly amongst men and seeme as simple as sheepe and in the meane whyle they play the Buls iniustling againste god As for example all such as glorie in theyr owne vertues thinke to earne Paradise as all the religious rabble do in the Popedome doo certaynely lifte vp themselues agaynst God insomuche as they make account of theyr owne merites and that is muche woorse than to pretende a statelynesse towardes men If there bee a man that is puffed vp with vayne pryde that setteth oute himselfe in a brauerie and that thinketh the grounde beareth him not Euerye man will mocke at him It is a stinking folly caÌ„not be borne withall Nowe if suche a presumption sette it selfe against God althoughe it bee hidden inwardely I pray you is it not muche more villeynous Then lette vs marke well that it is not ynough for vs to beare a sweete and amiable countenaunce and too pretende a milde behauiour towardes men but wee muste looke that our heart be not led away in secrete and that wee haue no pryde hydden within For althoughe it appeare not too men yet shall it not fayle to bee condemned of god And therewithall lette vs marke that if couert pryde be to be condemned then shall they not scape whiche spreade out their wings and vaunte themselues openly And lette vs vnderstande that our Lorde setteth them here as it were vpon a Scaffolde to the ende wee shoulde knowe the vice wherevntoo wee are all inclined and whiche reygneth in vs tyll God correct it Furthermore as touching the kissing of his handes I haue tolde you alreadie that that manner of speeche importeth a dooing of homage or honor and it is not without cause that the holy Ghost hath vsed such speeche for there is not any thing wherein men do
walking after the worlde wee become worse and worse and euerie man draweth his neighbors vnto euill and he himself foloweth them as fast too Is it not a peruerting of all order Then there remayneth nothing for vs but too gather vs vnto God and to frame our selues wholy vnto him It is sayd that Enock walked with god And why Bicause he was not peruerted and although the whole worlde was at that time as corrupt as might be yet notwithstanding Enock continued vncorrupted And wherof came that Bicause hee gathered his wits to him and gaue not himselfe the bridle to deale disorderly but although iniquitie was as a water floud vpon the earth yet he knew that it behoued him to walk as in the presence of god Furthermore this importeth also that wee must not regarde too haue some fayre shewes as many do which thinke it ynough to be praysed of men to absteyn from euill to the worldward and that if they haue cleare handes to outward sight it is ynough for them But it is nothing worth except wee haue our hart pure before god And therfore let vs marke well that when the holy Scripture speaketh of walking before God it meeneth that it is too no purpose too haue framed our outwarde lyfe in such sort as our vices may not appeare but that oure consciences also must agree therewithall so as we bee cleane rid from all wicked and frowarde affections Thirdly our walking before God must bee to frame oure selues wholy too his lawe For if our lyfe bee allowed of men and that wee flatter ourselues with our good intents what is it Nothing according as wee see in the Popedome that suche as imagine themselues to be most deuoute thinke that God is verie muche in their dette but yet for all that bycause they despise the holy Scripture and leane too theyr owne inuentions whiche they haue buylded at aduenture all is but trash and filthinesse And therefore let vs marke that if wee will liue well and haue a right and certaine rule it behoueth vs to walke with God that is to say too walke vprightly we must frame both our thoughts our deeds vnto his cōmandements not vnto mens deuices nor to our owne imaginations Thus much concerning this saying Now let vs come to the principall poynt Howe is it ment that Iob shoulde say that it shall stande a man in no stead to haue walked with God It is bicause he was as it were astraught in his torments and knewe not that God assisted him for that hee had serued him and conformed and ruled his life in all rightuousnesse True it is that Iob knew generally that God was rightuous that we must not esteeme or measure his rightuousnesse by the present state of the worlde and the things that are seene with our eies For ye see also that the controuersie which he had against his friends was that the good men are afflicted and troubled in this worlde and that the wicked doo prosper and so that God hath a higher iudgement whiche hee reserueth to himselfe and therefore that wee must not restraine our vnderstanding to the things that wee see presently nor thinke that God doth in this worlde render euery man that whiche is prepared for him for it were too much brutishnesse to haue any such thought Iob thē hath discussed this cace alreadie But what for that In the meane while hee ceassed not to be as it were dazeled whē he came to thinke vpon his afflictions Hee was so caried away that he asked where am I VVhat haue I woon by giuing my selfe so to the obeying of God Forasmuch thē as Iob was so dismayd started aside he is iustly vpbrayded with the vttering of this blasphemie that it shall not boot a man to haue walked before god And hereby wee be warned to bridle our selues whē we behold the things that are done in this world and not to fall into imagination to say why doth God dissemble thus VVhy doth he suffer his Church to be turmoyled so VVhy are there so great outrages done I say let vs bridle our selues short And why for if we do but imagine that any of these things are straunge it is asmuch as if we blasphemed god True it is that our Lord imputeth not that blasphemie vnto vs howbeit that is of his own goodnesse neuertheles we are guiltie of it And here in the person of Iob the holy ghost reproueth vs to the ende we shoulde mislike of such blasphemie and abhorre it and that as soone as their cōmeth any euill imagination in our thought we should put it away knowing that the same woulde leade vs too a greater blasphemie if God withhilde vs not Furthermore let vs marke that it behoueth vs to be so much the warer in that behalfe bycause we see that Gods seruants haue beene so tossed with that tempest True it is that when Ieremie asketh why the wicked prosper why God fauoreth them as it seemeth he protesteth that god is rightuous that his iudgements are rightful and he vseth this preface for a bridle Lord sayth he I know that thou art rightuous but yet for all that he escapeth not vnshaken VVee see what Abacuk sayeth in the same respect Abacuk doth the like therin he sheweth that he was restrayned with the feare reuerence of God but yet was he troubled in his mind Dauid cōfesseth that there hapned much more vnto him For we see how he said then haue I washed my handes in vaine my giuing of my self to all rightuousnesse my indeuering to serue God hath beene but lost time Seeing that Dauid came to that poynt I pray you what shall wee looke for And so it is true that he reproueth himselfe and therewithall confesseth that his foote was vpon yee so as he was readie to fall And afterwarde he addeth Lorde I am a beast I am no more a man nor worthie to bee called a reasonable creature but am become vtterly brutishe like an Asse or an Horse and therefore Lorde thou must holde me with strong hande or else I am vndone Seeing that Dauid confesseth that hee was not exempted from suche temptations I pray you how shall we do as I saide afore And this is the cause also why Esay vttereth this saying say ye there is a rewarde for the rightuous not as a common saying but as a singular one He exhorteth the faithfull to cōclude and fully to resolue themselues that there is a reward for the rightuous that is to say that they shall not lose their labor in seruing god This seemeth to bee a common saying and yet notwithstanding the Prophete Esay maketh a singular one of it And the reason is bicause things are out of order in the worlde as they shal be at all tymes and therefore the faythfull are to their owne vnderstanding vtterly dismayed saying why dooth God afflict vs with such rigour VVe bee readie too murmur immediately yea and wee shoulde
as men fat oxen and swine to the ende to kill them VVe see that when an oxe hath bin leane all his life long if a man intend to kill him hee will bestowe the more cost vpon him and likewyse will hee do with a Swine to make him well larded Nowe the Prophete vseth this similitude too shewe vs that the state of the reprobates and despysers of God is neuer the better for that they are not punished out of hande according as wee haue seene bothe in leremie and Ezechiell that such as are reserued make neuer the better market for their long tariance but as they are worse before God and haue pyled vp a great heape of cursednesse vpon their heades so also must God poure out the greater rigor vpon them And so although our Lord punish them not the first day yet ceasseth he not to holde them there still vnder his wrath and vengeance And therefore this text belongeth not vntoo them But when our Lorde dooth set menne quite and cleare and will not punishe them any more why is that It is bycause he hath forgiuen theyr sinnes I tolde you that this lesson is verie profitable And why For first of all wee bee so fleshly as wee passe for no more sobeit that God make vs not to feele his rigor Although he be angry with vs and reiect vs and as it were banishe vs his house all this toucheth vs not like as if a diseased persone were as good as rotten inwardly in his bodie and yet notwithstanding all were one too him so long as he feeleth no greefe VVhen a man hath an ague if he feele no alterations nor paine of heade or backe all is well hee ouerpasseth it and yet notwithstanding the disease lurketh so within as it becommeth deadly Contrarywise if he be sore athirst it were good for him to indure it for a time to remedie the ague which is his cheefe disease But a man is so sensuall as he careth for nothing but for the taking away of the greefe and passion of the present fitte that troubleth him Euen so is it with vs For although God bee offended with vs that seemeth to be nothing wee perceyue it not bycause of our dulnesse and therefore wee heape sinne vpon sinne and continue alwayes harde harted So much the more then behoueth it vs to marke howe it is sayde in this streyne that wee shall not escape Gods hande except hee forgiue vs our sinnes It behoueth vs to go to the roote let vs not desire God onely to deliuer vs from our sicknesses wantes and such other things but let vs specially pray him too bee mercifull vnto vs and when we haue once forgotten that wee shall bee deliuered from all inconueniences And yet further for the better conceyuing of this doctrine let vs marke that although wee bee in prosperitie yet if in the meane while God bee our enimie the mischeefe shall continue still with vs and his benefites shall turne to our bane Then if wee vse Gods giftes vntoo his displeasure all the benefites that hee bestoweth vpon vs must turne too oure greater condemnation lyke as on the contrarie parte when wee bee reconcylēd vntoo God and he hath pardoned oure offences although hee chastize vs the same shall bee a medicine too vs and all our afflictions shall bee blessed before him in so much that they shall turne to our saluation as Saint Paule sayth in the eight to the Romaines Beholde here howe it is a right necessarie poynt to knowe that we shall alwayes bee shet vp vnder the cursse of God vntill such time as hee hath pardoned our sinnes And herevpon let vs learne not to bee afrayde of miseries and aduersities onely but specially of Gods wrath which we ceasse not to prouoke And when we shall haue done amisse let vs not begin at the outward afflictions as who should say that our returning vnto god should be to the end he should no more afflict vs but let vs pray him to bee so gracious as too purge and clense vs of oure sinnes to the ende there may bee nothing in vs that may kindle him agaynst vs or displease him True it is that the chastizementes and corrections which God sendeth vs are as strokes of a spurre too pricke vs forwarde and when he seeth vs dull hee driueth vs by that meanes to repentance but yet must wee not be at this poynt to say well I am content so God withdrawe his hande from mee No wee must not doo so for wee shall haue gayned verie little if we get nothing but that VVhat then Let vs go vnto our God and pray him to bee at one with vs and to do so muche for vs that when wee haue beene gently chastized wee maye knowe hys goodnesse towardes vs And I pray you marke what is the cause why God doubleth his strypes and striketh muche more roughly vppon vs VVhy so If a man bee chastized hee feeleth that God visiteth him and perceyueth all things to go better with him So then a man humbleth himselfe when hee hath offended God and he desireth to bee deliuered and that God should take away his aduersitie at the first brunt but in the meane while the poore soule hath no wit to enter into himselfe and to search his owne faultes and to atteyne to so much reason as to say alas I must seeke to recouer the fauour of my god He thinkes it ynough if he be no more pressed like a dogge that doth but shake his eares when hee hath scaped with a blowe of a cudgell Such a one goeth not so farre as he ought to do hee resteth at the outwarde part and therfore God followeth with striking him still So then we see howe lightly men dispatche themselues when God chastizeth them too make them come to repentaunce for they may well haue some conceyte of it but the same passeth away oute of hand Nowe sith that God seeth that although a man perceiue not his own harme yet the filthinesse doth settle still within him he is fayne to presse him to the ende hee may know that the disease would increase if he purged it not to the bottom Then let vs vnderstand that we do but growe worse and worse vntill that God haue shewed vs mercie And therefore wee must not onely desire him to giue vs health soundnesse and whatsoeuer else our flesh desireth but also to blotte our sinnes and to gouerne vs so by his holy spirit as there may not bee any thing in vs too prouoke his displeasure agaynst vs And this is the cause why Dauid and the other holy Prophetes when they felte themselues beaten and tormented at Gods hande did not say onely Lorde deliuer mee from this affliction True it is that they desired that too but first of all they desyred God to forgiue them their sinnes and to be no more angrie with them And why spake they so For they sawe well from whence afflictions come howe that they be the
deare for the time when they shall so abuse his pacience which woulde allure them vnto goodnesse by giuing them respite to amende Seing then that the wicked do so mocke at God horrible vengeance must needes fall vpon their heade in the ende and that shall be at the great day Furthermore if God spare vs let vs not ceasse too bee watchfull and if hee chastice vs and beate vs with his roddes let vs alwayes consider howe terrible his wrath is and therevpon conclude that hee doth but summon vs And why Too the ende wee should preuent his last iudgement Therefore let vs alwayes thinke vpon the great daye and not tarie till wee bee taken tardie with the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christe but let euerie of vs condemne himselfe when God stirreth vs therevnto Furthermore let vs alwayes beare in remembraunce that God is oftentimes myndefull of mercie in the middes of his displeasure and that the same is the cause why hee examineth not the great multitude of oure sinnes For how great is the multitude of oure sinnes I praye you if euerie man would examine himselfe as he ought to do should he not finde an infinite number of sinnes in him yea and of so heynous offences as would vtterly dismay him But the cause why we consider not the greatnesse of our sinnes is our hypocrisie which hindereth vs and keepeth our eyes blindfolded But if a man would examine himselfe throughly hee shoulde finde him selfe a hundred thousande times confounded before hee came halfe too his wayes ende For God seeth muche more cleerely than wee doe VVhen we haue spyed one fault God wil spie out a hundred thousande yea euen of millions what shall the heauenly Iudge doe So then let vs marke that God forbeareth vs of his owne mercie to the ende he would not trie vs in the multitude of oure sinnes that is too say not search vs to the vttermost And Eliu sayth expresly here in multitude greatly or in great number to signifie that it were impossible that any creature shoulde stande out if God of his goodnesse did not spare them and continually abate the rigoure of the punishmentes which wee haue deserued by our sinnes And heerevpon as I haue sayde alreadie wee must needes thinke that there is a farre other iudgement than can bee perceyued in this worlde howbeeit wee knowe it not as yet and God beareth with vs And when wee bee come to the lowlynesse too condemne ourselues and to craue forgiuenesse at his hande let vs not doubte but that when wee shall appeare before his iudgement seate at the latter day all our sinnes shal be wyped out there and let vs vnderstande that the examining of vs which hee doth nowe put vs to in part to the end he may not examine any thing at al at the latter day and that the remembrance of our offences may bee so abolished as they may not come to account before him but that we may bee receyued there as rightuous as thoughe there had bin nothing in vs but al innocencie and soundnesse Ye see then that it behoueth vs so to apply this doctrine to our vse as we may learne so to walke in hope as wee may alwayes goe forwarde to the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and also profite our selues when wee see that oure Lorde sheweth vs tokens of his wrath and vengeance as at this present Alas what calamities are to be seene through the whole worlde And wee might say that God is vtterly alienated from vs if wee had not his doctrine to fense vs withall Surely when wee doe throughly consider the outrageous iniquities that reigne euerie where it appeareth playnly that God beareth with the worlde and proceedeth not with suche rigour as men haue deserued Therefore let vs learne hereby to returne vnto him with the better heart not doubting but hee will receyue vs And besides that let vs holde our thoughtes and affections fettered and brideled And for as much as Eliu hath here condemned al wicked thoughts wandring wordes and false ymaginations let vs beseech God first to clenze our heartes from all the wicked fancies wherein we bee too much intangled and therewithall to bridle our tongs that we may not vtter any thing but to his honour according to the request which Dauid maketh saying Lorde open thou our lippes that my mouth may set forth thy prayse So then wee haue good cause too praye God so to gouerne both our myndes and our tungs that all our thoughts and wordes may be to his honour For if Dauid who was so holie a Prophete needed to craue this at his hande what had we neede to do which are so euill taught Seeing it is so let vs bee well aduised that whensoeuer wee thinke of God wee esteeme him good wise and rightuous in all respectes and that when so euer wee speake of him it maye bee too call vpon him and to yelde him thankes for his goodnesse which he maketh vs to feele in these dayes wayting till wee bee filled with it to the full Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to touche vs so to the quicke as we may learne to returne better vnto him with true repentaunce so bethinking vs of oure life paste as wee maye amende it heereafter and henceforth learne to giue our selues wholly too his seruice in following his holie commaundementes as they are shewed in his lawe whereby wee ought to rule oure whole life And so let vs say Almightie God oure heauenly father wee acknowledge and confesse c. The Cxxxix Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxxvj. Chapter ELiu spake againe and sayde 2 Heare me and I vvill argue vvith thee for yet haue I vvordes to speake of God. 3 I vvill extend my knovvledge a farre off and proue him to be rightuous vvhich made me 4 My vvordes shall be voyde of vntruth and the perfect of knovvledge shall be vvith thee 5 God being mightie yea being mightie in strength of mynde enuieth not or reiecteth not 6 He quickneth not the vvicked but giueth iudgement to the afflicted 7 He vvill not turne avvay his eyes from the rightuous THey that had heeeretofore vphild that God leaueth no sinne vnpunished in this world are beguiled as hath bin declared more fully alreadie And sure we see that God reserueth the punishment of many faultes to the ende to make vs looke the further For if he should as now execute a full iudging wherin nothing were missing we should haue no occasion to hope for the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ he shuld haue no more to do in iudging of the world for all would be done afore hande So then Gods punishing of sinnes in this world is not at all times nor all after one rate It is ynoughe that hee gyueth vs some tokens and markes that he is Iudge of the world The like also is perceyued in mainteyning the godly It is said that
more againste him whatsoeuer he do For if wee must nedes be coÌ„fouÌ„ded our wits faile vs in the things that are visible open before vs nedes must we of good right stoupe wayt for the full discouery of the last day when the cace concerneth his incomprehensible secretes So then let it nowe suffize vs to conceiue those things by faith which we cannot yet perceiue till wee haue learned more which shall be when our good God hath bereft vs of this mortall flesh drawne vs home to himselfe and fashioned vs like to himselfe in glory It is sayd immediatly that the wicked shall be shaken out of the earth Some expouÌ„d this that the Sunne ingendreth many diseases and therefore that when the day breaketh it is as yee woulde say a clensing of the worlde from wicked men in asmuche as some disease dispatcheth them But that agreeth not in any wise to the matter For firste and formost the breake of the day doth rather releeue men forasmuche as at that time we haue our bodies most weeldie and best disposed Yea and euen the poore soules that are sicke and haue beene turmoyled all the nyght are somewhat cheered when morning is come insomuche as yee shall see them well eased by it And that is the cause why the Prophete Malachie speaking of our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth him the sonne of Rightuousnesse wherein hee taketh his similitude of the daysunne and of the things that we finde by experience namely that hee bryngeth vs health in hys wings that is too say in his beames and that the same clenzeth the earth and cheereth oure bodyes that were dumpishe with humors according as wee knowe that the night bringeth suche things And truely if the breaking of the day ingendred diseases good men shoulde be subiect to them as well as ill men And therfore the fittest exposition is that the wicked shall be shaken out of the earth that is to say they shall be discerned or spyed out For if there were darkenesse continually men coulde not discerne blacke from white But when God hath so spreade out light ouer all the worlde then it is seene howe euerie man behaueth himselfe True it is that the wicked ceasse not to misbehaue themselues all the daye long for they haue no feare of God and although they bee ashamed of men yet fall they to all licentiousnesse insomuch as they ceasse not to play their looce prankes euen at high noone day but yet do we perceiue some footesteps of that which is spoken here Things are out of order in the worlde and yet notwithstanding Gods order appeareth in them and is seene through them so that wee may say it is true that God giueth Satan head restreyneth not the wicked so much as he could do but giueth them libertie to triumph in naughtines so are things in a broyle on the one side and yet notwithstaÌ„ding for the preseruation of mankind Gods inteÌ„t in sending the light is to represse the wicked For what a thing were it if the wicked were not bridled by the secret prouidence of God Surely we shoulde perish at euery turne Yea and into what rage would Satan the driuer of them thrust them headlong if god wrought not in that behalf VVe know that Satan is the deadly so of all men desireth nothing so much as to make cleane riddance of all creatures to wipe the remembrance of God out of the worlde and therfore needes must the order come of God and the troubles and disorder come of men So then although the wicked do still dwell vpon the earth in the broade day light and put theyr disorders in practise yet doeth God continually discouer them and by that meanes brydle them â–ª so as the earth is after a sort clenzed by the rising of the Sunne I meane not from vapours that had raigned in the night nor from other corruptions that gathered toogither when the ayre was so thickned but I meene that God purgeth or clenzeth the earth from wicked follâ—â— â–ª by abridgiug them of theyr lybertie bycause men can poynte oute the naughtipackes with their finger and they are as then somwhat asnamed I say that euen the shamelesse whiche haue as ye woulde say sealed vp their owne eies haue notwithstanding some inward remorse so as they suffer not themselues to rushe out into the extremitie of theyr lewdenesse Thus yee see that the breake of the daye purgeth the earth after a sort howbeit not altogither for God maketh dayly purgings Now he addeth one other effect of the Sunlight whiche is that the earth taketh as it were a newe shape and that the things whiche the earth conteyneth serue it for a garmente when the Sunne shyneth after that manner For in the nyght season the earth is shapelesse a man seeth nothing of it It is then as ye woulde say a great Quamire where nothing can bee discerned But when the Sunne beginneth to rise it is as a man had taken pottes oute of a lumpe of earth and made them and well trimmed them Then is the earth fashioned which before was withoute fashion Therefore when God sendeth the light of the daye it is all one as if hee fashioned the whole earthe by giuing it beautie to the ende we shoulde beholde it with woondering and so whereas it was naked shet vp and barreyn afore at leastwise as in respect of our eyes he clotheth it againe For heere the cace concerneth mens sight The earth in the night is as it were desert and waste and there is nothing seene vpon it But in the daytimes it is clothed agayne bycause that whiche waye soeuer wee turne our eyes we see the goodly deckings that god hath put vpon it according as he sayth that he crowneth the yeare with his blessing insomuche that when hee replenisheth the earth with frutes it is all one as if hee did put on goodly garmentes Crownes Garlandes and suche other things vpon it VVhen we see that God worketh after that maner haue we not whereat to bee astonished yea and cause to confesse that the greatenesse of his woorkes surmounteth all our wittes and that we vtterly fayle of them For although wee may in parte taste of his goodnesse power wisedome and iustice yet notwithstanding we muste be fain at length in conclusion to crie out with Dauid Lord how wonderfull deepe are thy workes They be a bottomlesse pit and who shall reherse them vnto thee True it is that Dauid restreyneth himselfe to recken vp Gods works not to babble of them without knowing ought of them God then had shewed him that which he sayeth and we also may partly well iudge of the things that God sheweth vs in the whole creation of the worlde in the order which he hath stablished therein There we shall see some footsteps of his iustice goodnesse power and wisedome as I touched before but as for the comprehending of al things that we perceiue to the vttermost point we
Heerewithall we haue also to marke how it is sayd heere that God made Iobs captiuitie to tuine or was turned at his repentance for so may the woordes bee taken But the playnest translation is that he turned Iobs captiuitie so as the anguish wherein he was was taken away or else his captiuitie that is to say his cattell and substance that had bene taken away from him were restored againe But howsoeuer it was it betokeneth that in the end God had pitie vpon his seruant Yea and it is purposely expressed to haue come to passe when Iob prayed for his freindes that is too say for those that had persecuted him as wee haue seene afore And herein we see that if wee loue our enimies and procure their welfare and saluation it shall be to our owne benefite and profite and God will make the blessing to returne vppon vs VVee bee diuerse times afrayde least wee should bee too gentle and kinde hearted when men haue offended vs and this diuelish Prouerb that if a man play the sheepe the woolfe will eate him vp is too muche practised That is the cause why wee bee so wedded to our owne reuenge when men haue troubled vs or done vs any wrong It seemeth to vs that in forgiuing wee be layde open to all reproche and that our enimies will take the more boldnesse at it agaynst vs But it behoueth vs to let all those fancies go for God hath taken the charge of vs himselfe and hath giuen vs a good Shephearde euen our Lorde Iesus Christ who hath promised too keepe vs And furthermore let vs marke well that when wee pray for such as vexe vs the same blissing will light vpon vs If it please God that it take place it is verie well whereas they were enimies before now they shall bee our brethren And if they continue wilfull in their malice yet will our Lorde make all the requestes to redounde to our selues which we shal haue made for theÌ„ Thus ye see why it is purposely sayd that God looked mercifully vpon Iob wheÌ„ he had prayed for those that had so misvsed him as we haue seene And so it behoueth vs to call to mind how S. Iames saith you haue heard of the pacieÌ„ce of Iob seene what ende and issue God gaue him Now he sheweth vs that the afflictioÌ„s which God sendeth vpoÌ„ his children laste but a while and that the ende of them is right happie so as it is farre better for them to be so afflicted for a time than to liue alwayes at their ease For if God should spare them to much there were not that maÌ„ which would not fall asleepe in this world VVe should no more knowe what obedience were the lustes of our flesh would play the reslife iades and wee would thinke vpon nothing but this present transitorie life Therefore let vs vnderstande that when God afflicteth his faythfull ones first it is not of purpose to presse them to the vttermoste for hee knoweth what they bee able too beare and Sainct Paule sayeth accordingly that forasmuche as God is faythfull he will not suffer vs to bee tempted beyonde that which we be able to beare And furthermore he sheweth in the ende that we haue cause to wishe to be so beaten with Gods scourges according as Dauid saith Lorde it was good for me that thou didst chastise me Insomuch that we may alwaies glorie in our aduersities and corrections That is the thing whiche it behoueth vs too marke in this streyne For it is not for Iobs sake that this was written that God blissed his latter state more than hys first that hee doubled his goodes and substance whiche were verie great afore that hee gaue him sonnes and daughters and that he lengthued his life so as he saw the children that came of his owne race vnto the fourth generation after he had seene himselfe at so lowe an ebbe True it is that here the holy ghost ment too leaue a memoriall of the gracious goodnesse that God shewed vpon the person of Iob howbeit that was not for his instruction but for ours Then is it not without cause that Saint Iames hath set vs downe this selfesame mirrour saying my freends true it is that it is a hard and troublesome thing to kepepacience when men are tormented it is agaynst their nature Howbeit in the ende God turneth all things in such wise too their welfare as they perceyue it was much better for them to haue beene so afflicted than to haue beene to much and to tenderly borne withall and cockered To be short wheÌ„ soeuer we are troubled with aduersitie I meane not onely of bâ—â—y but also when we haue such hartbytings as set vs in a chafe and tempt vs to dispayre or to carpe against God let vs bethink vs of the things which we haue read of Iob and of his pacience For if wee compare his aduersities with all the aduersities that we be able to beare wee shall certenly finde that in him God ment to set out a mirrour that passed all the temptations and troubles that dayly befall the Godly See how Iob was on the one side spoyled of all his substance hee had beene rich and as a Prince in his Countrey he is vtterly bereft of all things and hath neither house nor any thing else left him besides this yee see he was also bereft of his children hys wife spyted him and was agaynst him As for his bodie behold it was as a rotten carion such a one as men would bee loth to looke vpon according as wee haue seene him complaine that his skinne cleaued too his bones yea and how it hath beene sayd that he scraped of the rottennesse of his fleshe with a potsherd This was a terrible sight but yet were not the things that Iob suffered bothe in his goodes and in his children and in his wife and in hys bodie the cheefe things that he indured All those were nothing in comparison of the anguishe that hee abode when hee sawe that God was agaynst him and that also is the thing whereat hee was greeued when hee made his complaintes saying VVhat nowe VVhy doth not God take me away VVhy am I not raced out of the worlde Must I singer heere after this sort And seeing I am but a poore frayle creature why doth God presse me so greeuously Iob then was in great trouble when he saw that God was his aduersarie partie and that he on his side wist not why Now seeing it is so it must not greeue vs if wee bee meanly afflicted and that God chastice vs according to our infirmitie euerie man in his owne behalfe wee must not thinke it straunge but let vs resort to this storie which is written for our learning and therevpon haue an eye to the ende For if wee looke no further but too the extremitie wherein Iob was during the time that God persecuted him alas wee shall bee vtterly dismayde and there is none of vs all but
hee shall vtterly quayle saying VVhat booteth it a man to serue God seeing that suche as haue walked in his feare are most vnfortunate But when we looke vpon the ende that is the thing wherein we haue wherewith to comfort our selues namely first of all as I haue sayde bycause the afflictions of Gods children last but a while and secondly they serue them for salues medicines and moreouer the end of theÌ„ is alwayes happie insomuch that they haue euer cause to glorifie God not onely when hee deliuereth them but also bycause hee mortifyeth all their wicked lustes and also therein they haue a better confirmation of the doctrine in that whereas our Lorde Iesus Christ is the liuely Image of all the faythfull children of God they bee made conformable too him as Saint Paule declareth in the eight to the Romaynes that in all our aduersities wee be shaped like to the Image of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the eldest sonne in the house of god And truely if we looke but onely vpon the crosse of Iesus Christ it is cursed by Gods owne mouth we shall see nothing there but shame and terrour and to be short it will seeme that the verie gulfe of hell is open to swallow vp Iesus Christ But wheÌ„ we ioyne his resurrection to his death behold wherwith to comfort vs beholde wherewith to asswage all our sorrowes to the ende we be not ouersorowfull whensoeuer it shall please God to afflict vs And this was purposely fulfilled in our Lord Iesus Christ to the intent we should knowe that this was not written for any one person onely but too the intent that all of vs should vnderstand that the sonne of God will make vs partakers of his lyfe if we die with him and partakers of his glorie if wee beare all the shames and aduersities which it shall please God to lay vpon our shoulders according also as S. Paule speakecth of it in another place VVe see then that the cause why this is reherced to vs is that we should not bee vtterly dismayde when wee see that God afflicteth vs nor conceyue any such sorow as should shet vp our harts and hold vs prisoners so as we might receiue no comfort but that wee should alwayes haue an eye to the end which God hath promised to his children according as he hath shewed by effect as well in Iob as also in Dauid and others but cheeflyest in our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the true and cheefe patterne of all the faithfull True it is that it doth not coÌ„monly fal out that God doubleth his benefites towardes such as haue beene afflicted so as it may be seene that they be farre rycher than they were before and that they haue children and ofspring and all that is to â—â—â— desired too the worldwarde This is not alwayes seene for God handleth vs not after one egall rate he knâ—weth what is fitte for euery man and it behoueth vs to frame our selues to receyue our portion in suche wise as it shall please him to deale it vnto vs as at a householders hande which knoweth well what is meete for his household But howsoeuer the worlde go it behoueth vs to take it for a generall rule that God will not onely bring our afflictions to an ende but also make them to turne to our welfare so as wee shall perceyue that he forgat vs not at such time as hee afflicted vs but rather 〈…〉 wed himselfe continually a father towardes vs in that he suffered vs not too fall too fast asleepe in this worlde As for the temporall blisings well may wee take them also as God sendeth them howbeit let vs haue an eye to the principall which is that if there were nothing else but that we bee confirmed in Gods goodnesse that wee haue â—e greater assurance of his ayde and that our fayth is alwayes exercised when we bee afflicted is not that verie much The man that scarce knew how auaylable Gods fauor is too helpe vs at our need doth in affliction see that God strengthneth him in such wise by his holy spirite that he beareth the affliction meekly wheÌ„ he is deliuered then knoweth he that god did put to his hand thervpon he gathereth that seeing god hath assisted him for one bruÌ„t he wil neuer faile him after If we had none other thing but that on the one side we see the helpe that God giueth vs and secondly that he worketh in vs by his holy spirit to the intent we should not quaile and finally sheweth vs by experience that he is redy to help vs at al times I say if we had no more but that were it not an in estimable profite But there is yet more which is that God maketh vs to perceiue our infirmities which wee knew not before therby we be the more prouoked to cal vpoÌ„ him as though he had wherted vs therevnto And on the otherside whereas we had taken the corrections to come by haphazarde we be taught to receiue them as at his hand too make our profit of theÌ„ And again wheÌ„ we be so striken down we bee the better dispozed to seke for the heauenly life for suche as royst it out to the worldward do turne away froÌ„ god Contrariwise when we bee ouermaistred and God hath cast vs downe to the ground and we be brought so lowe feeble as we wote not where to become it is to the end to make vs to cleaue vnto him and to taste better of the spirituall welfare that is prepared for vs Then if wee had none other things than these ought we not to know that the things which are written of Iob are performed in vs and that we haue a true example of them Therfore let vs suffer God to handle vs and to deale his benefites to vs as he himselfe shall see good But howsoeuer we fare let vs assure our selues that the end shall alwaies be happie And 〈…〉 y if there were none other thing but this that afflicti 〈…〉 rue to bring vs to the glorie of our lord Iesus christ 〈…〉 t when we be once taken out of this world we shal 〈…〉 companie with the sonne of God and his Angels 〈…〉 t we not to honor theÌ„ And although they be sharpe 〈…〉 ard too our flesh yet notwithstanding haue we not 〈…〉 of to reioyce continually and to yeeld thankes vnto God specially when hee deliuereth vs out of our present miâ—eries Howbeit forasmuch as all could not be discharg 〈…〉 t length and it is ynough to haue a short summe of 〈…〉 ings that are sayd here I forbeare to speake now of 〈…〉 of Iobs daughters for in effect the scripture meÌ„t to betokeÌ„ that God made him to prosper in suche wise to the worldward as we may see with our eyes that he fauored him yea euen beyond the commoÌ„ rate And let vs not thinke it â—â—â—aunge that God woulde in those dayes vtter his loue towardes the faithfull by earthly